


Dust and Ashes

by ArwenLightwood



Series: Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart. [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Future Fic, Getting Back Together, Humor, Kid Fic, M/M, Magic, Monster of the Week, Panic Attacks, Sex, Temporary Amnesia, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2019-02-24 04:32:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13206051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArwenLightwood/pseuds/ArwenLightwood
Summary: Six years have passed since a witch stole Stiles' memories and the Hale Pack learnt to work together. Now, with a life Stiles has many reasons to be proud of, past enemies who have not forgotten the pack's crimes have returned to Beacon Hills.Werewolves and humans alike have their memories from the past ten years taken away and must learn how to deal with their new realities when they feel like teenagers and not adults, specially Scott and Stiles.CAN BE READ AS A STAND-ALONE (or at least that's what I think), but it is a sequel toToday is going to be a great day and here's why





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! I'm baaaaaaaack because I never stop writing, especially when I should be studying for my finals instead (:  
> Anyway, as many of you predicted, this is a sequel to
> 
>  
> 
> [Today is going to be a great day and here's why](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12916164/chapters/29511486)
> 
>  
> 
> because that epilogue was just ominous and I promised to write about the pack being happy and working together.  
> Hope you like it!  
> PS: As you can imagine, English is not my first language (still) (that was a bad joke, im sorry), so I apologise for my mistakes! This work is unbetaed. if you find typos etc etc let me know!  
> Kudos, comments, and ideas are always appreciated!

Stiles Stilinski has many reasons to be proud of himself. Every morning, the first thing he does even before opening his eyes is to remember all the things he must be grateful for: a good job, a house, a father, a husband, a son… jumping in his bed at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Okay, maybe this process was easier when Gael was not in his life. But once again, he would not be as happy as he is without that little creature who likes grapes and the flashing Alpha eyes of his other daddy.

“Der?” he mumbles, patting the empty space to his left.

The mattress has gone cold, which means that Derek left hours ago, probably determined to follow the trace some unwelcome visitors left in the woods last week. Ever since Gael joined their family unit, his werewolf instincts have been enhanced, his need to protect and provide for his pack stronger. Stiles found it adorable at first, but now it is annoying. He wants his husband back, and not only because he does not feel like waking up and attending Gael’s demands, but also because he would like to kiss him in the morning and enjoy those few hours they have together before they have to attend their other responsibilities.

“I’m awake, buddy, don’t worry,” he frees his legs from the mess of sheets and blankets that cover the bed and stands up, a smile appearing on his face as soon as his eyes meet Gael’s. “What did I tell you about waking me up on weekends?” the kid looks guilty, although he does not lose that mischievous expression that has characterised him ever since he turned three, and Stiles can feel something melting inside him, a part of his being Gael made him rediscover the day the met.

“But, papa! This is a do-or-die situation!” he exclaims, jumping one last time to land on his bottom.

“Really? What happened?”

Stiles stretches himself out. He won’t say it out loud because he is supposed to be mature and all that crap Derek likes reminding him of, but Gael’s ability to make up excuses fills him with pride. They may have no DNA in common, yet they share an overwhelming capacity to bullshit their way through life.

The kid stands on his knees and walks towards Stiles until he is close enough to trap his father’s head between his tiny hands. The fact that his caramel eyes are wide open does nothing but to increase the drama his son is trying to create.

“I _am_ very, very, very, very hungry, papa,” he whispers.

“Hungry, uh?” Stiles repeats, pretending to be alarmed. “You mean you could be dying from starvation?”

Gael considers the possibility for a second, his brain trying to remember if he has ever learnt that word.

“Yes, papa, I’m _starvating!_ ” he finally says.

“Oh, my God, we can’t let that happen! If the police finds out that I’m letting my kid starve they’ll come get me and I’ll never eat curly fries again! I’ll be sent to the dungeons, where rats will devour my flesh!”

“But, papa! Grandpa is the police!”

Stiles shakes his head.

“No, no, grandpa is the Sheriff! We’re doomed! Someone help us! Please!” he throws himself against the pillows, letting Gael sit on his stomach.

“There is a solution!”

“Is it? Tell me, son! I beg you!”

“You could make pancakes! Then I won’t _starvate_ anymore!”

Without notice, Stiles jumps from the bed, taking Gael on his arms, and runs to the main floor. Gael’s delighted laugh accompanies him as he starts cooking breakfast, the kid safely placed over his shoulders and giving him directions. By the time they are both eating chocolate covered pancakes, it is already half past nine and Derek’s absence is starting to bug Stiles. When he contacts the rest of the pack and none of the answers he receives clarifies his husband’s whereabouts, he simply panics. The betas would have felt if something bad had happened to their Alpha, but what if he has been kidnapped _again_? It has been a while since the last supernatural phenomenon visited Beacon Hills. They have been too careless, they should have been expecting something to happen.

“Papa?”

Gael’s voice forces him back to reality. The kid, with his mouth covered in chocolate, is staring at him, worry painted in his face.

“What’s up, buddy?” he asks, trying to sound normal.

“Where’s daddy?”

“Saving the world,” that is the magic answer they always give him, the perfect solution to avoid explaining to a three-year-old what being an Alpha werewolf really means. “Nothing to worry about. Now, eat your pancakes.”

Stiles keeps an eye on the phone during the rest of the day. He is checking his messages when he does their laundry. He is talking to Isaac, asking him to look for Derek, when Gael is watching some cartoons. He is considering the possibility of calling his dad when he forgets everything.

Well, no. Not everything. But he does not understand what the hell he is doing. Or why the hell he is in this house with a little kid whose name he does not even know. He desperately unlocks his phone (when the fuck did he get such an expensive one?!) and dials Scott’s number.

“DUDE!” he yells as soon as the beep ends. “What have we done?”

“Oh, God, you too? I don’t know, man,” Scott’s voice sounds different, deeper. “The last thing I remember is last night, when we went to school with Jackson, Lydia, and Allison, and now I’m in a house I don’t recognize. What happened? Is Derek gone for good? How did we survive that?”

“I don’t know! That’s what I remember too! Jeez,” he answers. “Meet me at your place in thirty, okay? We’ll see what’s happened then.”

“Yeah, sure, sounds good,” Scott mutters. “Maybe I should call Allison and see if she’s doing okay.”

Stiles rolls his eyes.

“Last night she thought you left us to die and now you want to call her?” Incredulity is not a strong enough word to describe what his best friend inspires him sometimes. “Don’t answer me, I know what you’re going to say. Just meet me there, okay?”

Stiles hangs up and takes a deep breath. He can do this. He must do this. If Scott is experiencing what he is, then it is up to him to find a solution. That is what he does.

“Uh… Kiddo?” he says, trying to replicate the way in which his own father used to treat him when he was a toddler. The kid looks at him with curiosity. “I… I have to meet a friend.”

What is he supposed to do with him? Can such a tiny creature stay at home alone? But what if he takes him to Scott’s and then his parents show up and accuse him of kidnapping a minor? Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Who?” the kid asks, innocently.

“Scott?”

The kid tilts his head, as if he were trying to recall who Scott is.

“Scott… is a Beta,” he states.

Stiles raises an eyebrow. Maybe being stuck with a kid is not terrible. Maybe he can be a useful source of information.

“Yep, he is,” Stiles confirms. “Wanna come?” The kid nods before jumping on his feet. “Do you know where I left my keys?”

“Of course!”

Stiles follows him to the hall, where the keys are waiting for him in a bowl. The sight of a familiar object, the key to his beloved Jeep, is enough to give him hope. Not everything has changed. In the outside, there are three cars and a motorbike parked before the house. Apart from his Jeep, he does not recognize any of them, and he does not bother checking them out. He does not even pay attention to his surroundings. He puts the kid on the car seat that occupies the passenger seat, and drives away, through the woods, ignoring that annoying part of his brain that is screaming ‘ _that was the Hale house!_ ’. There will be time to freak up.

“Is daddy with Scott?” Gael breaks the silence as Stiles is pulling over.

Stiles considers his answer for a second.

“Uh… I don’t think so.”

“Okay.”

It should not pain him to disappoint a kid he barely knows, but somehow it does.

“But there’ll be ice cream. Melissa always has some in her fridge,” he says before opening the door and stepping outside.

With Gael in his arms, Stiles enters the house. Nothing seems to have changed here.

“Scott?”

The boy comes running down the stairs. Although… he is not a boy anymore. He is a grown-up man, some wrinkles around his eyes included.

“The hell!” Stiles exclaims, taking a step back.

“Dude!” Scott says in the same tone and at the same time. “You’re so old! And your hair ”

“I’m sixteen, you dickhead. You’re the one that looks… wrinkly. Is this a side-effect of the bite?”

Scott shakes his head.

“You are not sixteen, Stiles. We’re not teenagers anymore. Whatever happened last night has…”

“Made us travel through time?” Stiles jokes. “Or maybe it was an ageing curse! Wait, am I hot? Tell me I’ve become hot enough to conquer Lydia Martin, Scotty.”

“Lyd! Are we going to see aunt Lyd?” Gael intervenes.

Scott and Stiles stare at the kid in disbelief.

“Why the fuck do you have a kid?” Scott asks.

Gael’s jaw drops.

“Papa! He said a bad word!”

Stiles simply stays agape.

“Dude, did he call you ‘papa’?” Scott whispers.

Gael frowns at the beta.

“I don’t like you.”

“He can’t be my son if he doesn’t like you. And he barely knows you, Scott. If I had a child, _when_ I have Lydia’s babies, they will all adore you.”

And that, at least, makes sense. Because Scott is his brother, the best friend in the world despite all his flaws.

“I want daddy.”

A tantrum is coming. Stiles knows it. Gael knows it. Scott suspects it.

“You have your daddy right there!” Scott points a finger at Stiles.

“He’s papa, not daddy, duh,” Gael pouts as he buries his face against Stiles’ neck.

Stiles is shivering. All he can feel is his unsteady breathing, the difficulty with which his lungs are taking and expulsing air.

“Scott, take him, please,” he whispers. “Please.”

“Papa?”

Stiles can barely hear his complains when Scott obeys. He squats down and covers his head with his arms, trying to regain control over his body. He does not have time for a panic attack. He does not. He must fix this. Now.

“Stiles?”

“Don’t… Don’t let him see me like this. Go away.”

“But…”

“Please, Scott.”

The silence that follows his plea is the only proof he has of Scott actually leaving the room with the kid. Sometime later, when he has been able to sit down and open his eyes, Stiles hears the television playing in the living room. The silhouette of his best friend is crouched next to the kid, both seated in front of the screen. He forces himself to walk towards them and sit on the couch, which Gael takes as an invitation to leave Scott and join his father. Stiles does not hesitate when it comes to putting an arm over the kid’s shoulders. This is not Gael’s fault. And if a kid depends on him, then, well, he is going to man up and deal with this shit.

“Buddy, why don’t you tell Scott about yourself? He has a terrible memory and it’s been long since you two met.”

Scott turns around, his eyes meeting Stiles’ for a second, checking on him.

“Yeah, please. I’d love to know who you are!”

Gael sits up straight and clears his throat with an adorable fake cough.

“My name is Gael Noah Hale-Stilinski and I’m three years old,” Stiles’ heart skips a beat, but he has not time to react. “My daddy’s name is Derek, and my papa’s name I can’t pronounce, but that’s okay, because grandpa has told me that one day he is going to teach me Polish and then I will pronounce it!”

And that is how Stiles Stilinski, who has many reasons he cannot remember to be proud of himself, passes out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ve missed you,” Gael buries his head in Derek’s neck.
> 
> The moment the werewolf catches the kid’s scent, his body relaxes.
> 
> “I’ve missed you more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year!!!!!!!!!!  
> May your 2018 be filled with laughter, love, and many, many great fics!

“Stiles? Can you hear me?”

Stiles grunts, trying to go back to sleep. He is tired. Exhausted, in fact.

“Papa?”

That sweet voice that made him pass out is the same one that pushes him to open his eyes and stare at the people who are expectantly watching him. Lying on the couch, Stiles lets out a sigh and ruffles the kid’s hair.

“That was embarrassing,” he whispers.

“You must have fainted,” Melissa explains. “It’s a good thing that you didn’t hit your head with the coffee table. How are you feeling? Scott has told me about your little memory problem.”

The beta is standing next to them, his arms firmly crossed before his chest as he nods. The concerned look on his face is not the good news Stiles was hoping for.

“I’m fine,” Stiles lies. “I just want to know what happened last night.”

“I don’t know,” Melissa admits. “You should talk to Deaton, see what he has to say. And contact Derek as soon as possible. Maybe this has affected other pack members as well.”

The high-pitched sound that comes from Scott’s throat would be embarrassing and a good reason to make fun of his best friend in any other circumstances, but Stiles refrains from laughing, especially because he is as shocked as Scott.

“What are you talking about?! Why would I talk to my boss, mom?” Scott asks.

The woman turns to his son with an exasperated face.

“How much have you two forgotten?”

“Uh…” Stiles takes the opportunity to sit up and smile to a worried Gael, who keeps looking at him. “Come here, buddy.”

Ignoring how weird this is, Stiles takes the kid in his arms and places him on his knees.

“We… we think we’re sixteen.”

Melissa suppresses a laugh.

“Oh, my God,” she says, shaking his head. “Okay, Scott. I know you’re a werewolf, so don’t worry about that. And Deaton was the druid emissary to the Hale family before the fire. He’s the one who knows why these things keep happening to you.”

Scott gapes, his brain trying to assimilate all the new information coming from his mother.

“So… How old are we?” Stiles asks, giving Scott more time to recover from the shock.

“Twenty-seven. Now, let me call Deaton. You try to reach Derek, and you,” she looks at Scott. “Have you talked to Allison?”

“I called her, but she’s not picking up. Why? Are we still dating?!”

“No,” Melissa walks towards the door as she answers, hiding her amused face from her son. “But you’re married now.”

Stiles retrieves his phone from the pocket of his jeans after high-fiving Scott and opens the contact list. There, marked as favorite, are the Sheriff’s and Derek’s numbers, as well as another one saved as ‘home’.

“Are you really going to call Derek?” Scott asks once he is done celebrating his rediscovered marriage.

“Apparently, we have a son together. I shouldn’t be afraid of him anymore.”

“But you are.”

“But I am,” Stiles confirms.

Scott sits next to him.

“I didn’t know you were into guys.”

Stiles laughs out loud. Because of course, that is Scott’s biggest concern at the moment.

“Yeah, well. Surprise?”

“Are we calling daddy?” Gael interrupts them. “Can I talk to him?”

“Maybe he hasn’t lost his memories and is worried about you,” Scott suggests. “Give it a chance.”

“Last thing we knew he was dead, Scotty. And now…” Gael terrified expression stops Stiles. “No, no, no. Daddy is fine, I’m just kidding.”

“That wasn’t funny, papa,” Gael complains.

“I know, I’m sorry, kiddo.”

“This is so freaking weird…” Scott sighs.

Stiles holds Gael as tightly as possible before pressing the call button. It goes directly to the voicemail.

“That’s not good. The same happened when I tried to call Allison. Maybe I should try Chris.”

“Wait. If you’re married to Allison and your mom knows about your claws, does that mean that the Argents do too? Even though they’re hunters?”

There are so many questions Stiles can’t wait to have answered. This is like travelling to the future, because no matter how old his body looks, his mind is still the one of his sixteen-year-old self. He has access to his life, to his successes and failures. To everything.

“I really hope so,” Scott says. “Cause if not, this conversation with my father-in-law is going to be awkward.”

The werewolf leaves the room as he searches for Chris’s number on his phone.

“Papa, is daddy okay?” Gael asks, lifting his head to meet his father’s eyes.

“He’s the strongest man in the world, buddy. I’m sure he’s fine,” Stiles lies, almost convincing himself of what he has just said.

“I love him very much,” the kid whispers, a single tear running down his left cheek.

Stiles captures it with his hand.

“And he loves you to the moon and back. You know what? We should find some pencils and draw something for daddy as a welcome home gift.”

Gael agrees with a soft smile, and Stiles proceeds to gather all the pencils, felt-tips, and ballpoint pens Melissa owns. Five minutes later, father and son are seated on the floor, their legs under the coffee table, and several white sheets of paper scattered before them. Slowly, the form of a deformed wolf begins to take shape under Gael’s lines. Stiles contemplates the process in awe.

“Stiles.”

The grunt takes him by surprise. He jumps to his feet, hitting the coffee table with his knees.

“Papa! Careful!”

“What the hell have you done now?” Derek continues, his voice menacing.

The man is standing next to the couch with his hands clenched in fists and a deep frown. He does not look different. Maybe a bit older due to a small number of stark white strands in his hair. The muscle and the leather jacket have not changed, though.

“Nothing, you have my word,” Stiles says. “I don’t remember anything.”

“My house,” Derek insists.

“Yeah, it looks nicer now, uh?” it is not the best moment to joke around, but Stiles can’t help it. He is a reckless human about to die in the hands of a very angry  werewolf.

“Daddy! You’re back!”

Gael launches himself towards the man. For a second, Stiles is sure Derek will move out of the way and leave the kid fall to the floor. However, the werewolf catches him midair and lets the little boy hug him. Stiles takes one of the papers and quickly writes down a few words before showing it to Derek.

**_“Gael, 3. Our son.”_ **

In just a moment, Derek’s face goes into a complex variety of expressions: bewilderment, perplexity, anger, resignation.

“I’ve missed you,” Gael buries his head in Derek’s neck.

The moment the werewolf catches the kid’s scent, his body relaxes.

“I’ve missed you more.”

Stiles gulps, struggling to keep his feelings under control.

“You’ve lost your memories too,” he decides to say when Gael does not break away.

Derek meets Stiles’ eyes and nods, his big arms still hugging a kid that looks even smaller next to him.

“I woke up in a warehouse, alone. Last thing I know…”

“We were trying to find out who the Alpha is,” Stiles finishes his sentence without a doubt. “Same here, but I’ve been told that I’m twenty-seven, not sixteen, and we’re all a big pack whose existence is not a secret anymore.”

“Yeah, that I knew,” Derek mutters.

Stiles frowns.

“How?”

“You smell like pack, and so does Gael,” he explains. “He… I can feel he’s ours,” a growl eats the last word of that sentence. “Who has done this to us? Did they really think that we’d believe this shit?”

“Wait, what? You don’t think this is real?”

Derek snorts, kneeling to let Gael run back to his drawing post.

“Are you serious right now?”

“Memory loss doesn’t sound too crazy,” Stiles contorts. “Creating an alternative reality, yeah.”

“Stiles,” Derek calls him, taking a step towards him. Stiles immediately moves back. “We’re married.”

Stiles can feel the weight of the ring he has been ignoring for hours against the skin of his finger. It is now when he dares to look at it, to admire the shiny silver metal that bounds him to the man who would rather believe that this is all a sick trick.

“Okay, okay, we both know you could do much better and that I’m probably the last person you’d choose as a partner. I don’t need a reminder,” he sighs as he runs one of his hands through his hair. “But for the shake of Gael, let’s pretend whenever he’s in the room, okay?” he adds in a whisper.

Derek’s scowl disappears the moment he looks at the kid.

“Fine,” he concedes. “Now, find the culprit.”

“About that,” Stiles hurries to say, afraid of the werewolf vanishing. “Melissa said something about Deaton being a druid? Your family’s emissary?”

Derek arches an eyebrow, surprised.

“Deaton?”

“Alan Deaton, the vet. He’s Scott’s boss,” Stiles replies. “I guess you didn’t know about him.”

“I don’t like this. We can’t trust whatever people say.”

“Dude, we can trust Melissa. She’s an angel.”

“Don’t call me dude.”

Stiles rolls his eyes, exasperation taking over him.

“Whatever, sourwolf. Whether you approve it or not, we are asking Deaton for help. We need to know who the other members of our pack are, and who the hell our Alpha is.”

Derek scowling is scary. Derek smiling is terrifying.

“I may have an answer,” he says, flashing his eyes red.

“OH, MY GOD,” Stiles exclaims. “Holy shit, Derek.”

The conversation is cut short by Melissa entering the room.

“I’ve written down the names of your betas,” she says, as if it did not surprise her to have Derek Hale in her living room. “Check on Erica and Isaac first. If they’ve lost their memories… They’re going to need you,” the woman hands the piece of paper to the Alpha and looks at Stiles. “I’ve talked to Deaton, too. He wants you all to go to the clinic as soon as possible. Has Scott reached Allison?”

“No, but he was trying Argent.”

“What?!”

All the sassiness is gone from Derek’s face when Stiles turns to him.

“Derek, it’s okay. We work with the Argents now,” Melissa tries to calm him down. “Kate is dead.”

“How do you…?”

“Kate?” Stiles asks, completely lost.

“I don’t have time to update you on everything that has happened in the last decade. Just… find your pack and go to Deaton’s, okay?”

Stiles moves closer to Derek to take a look at the names:

 

  * _Erica Reyes_
  * _Isaac Lahey_
  * _Lydia Martin_
  * _Jackson Withermore_
  * _Vernon Boyd_
  * _Allison Argent_
  * _Scott McCall_
  * _Gael Hale-Stilinski_
  * _Stiles Stilinski_
  * _Derek Hale_



 

“Was it really necessary to put _our_ names?” Stiles asks.

“Who knows, that may be the next thing you forget,” Melissa winks an eye before kneeling next to Gael. “Wow, can I see? That’s a masterpiece!”

“It’s my daddy! He’s a wolf!” Gael says, proudly. “I’m going to draw papa now.”

“Do you know these people?” Derek asks, eyes glued to the paper.

“Yeah, but… Let me take care of Lydia and Erica. You look for Isaac and Boyd. Let Scott handle Jackson and Allison.”

“Where can I find them?”

“Boyd used to work at the ice rink, I think. And if he isn’t there, I don’t know, man. Use your nose. And Isaac works with his dad at the cemetery. They’re both… different. Be nice, okay?”

“As much as I’d love to watch Gael, I can’t, I have to go to the hospital,” Melissa intervenes. “But call your father.”

“Does he…?”

“Does he know that his only son married an Alpha werewolf? Of course, Stiles. You managed to keep the secret for a while, but your father learnt about the supernatural way before Derek and you happened.”

“I better leave now,” Derek says, turning on his heels.

“Daddy!” Gael calls him. “My goodbye kiss!”

Surprisingly, Derek answers to the name by stopping, but the request petrifies him. Stiles watches him take a deep breath before walking towards the kid. The kiss is short, but it satisfies Gael’s demands, and makes Stiles feel proud of the werewolf. Underneath all those layers of anger and misery, there is still something good left in him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “That’s good news,” Stiles mutters. “But just in case, be careful, okay?”
> 
> “I always am, Stiles. You’re the reckless one.”
> 
> Stiles smirks, taking a turn to the left.
> 
> “I’m adventurous, not reckless, thank you very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go!!!  
> Thanks for the comments and kudos, you're all amazing <3 <3 <3

The fact that his father is not surprised by his memory loss tells Stiles more about his life than any conversation he could have had with the man. The Sheriff receives Gael with a big smile and a hug, and lets him run to Stiles’ old bedroom before turning to his son.

“So, you don’t remember anything. _Again_ ,” he says.

Stiles feels embarrassed. It does not matter that, for once, he is not to blame for what has happened, or at least that is what he thinks.

“I’m prone to memory loss, uh?”

“It’s been a while since you suffered it for the last time. It brought you good things, though. Don’t worry too much, kiddo,” the man appeases him. “How is Derek doing?”

“He’s looking for the rest of the pack. We’re all going to Deaton’s, see what he has to say. But… Derek thinks someone has managed to create this alternative reality. Our life together doesn’t sound too realistic, apparently.”

As much as Stiles tries to sound unconcerned, something in his gestures must betray them, because the Sheriff gives him a worried look.

“And what do you think, son?”

Stiles bows his head, unable to meet his father’s eyes.

“Dad, I’ve been in love with Lydia for years, I’m pretty used to rejection and not being enough. I never had any expectations. Derek wasn’t even in my list of crushes. He is way out of my league.”

“Stiles,” the Sheriff interrupts him. “I can’t make you believe that this is real, but let me tell you something: this is the only life I know. And when you started hanging out with Derek, I freaked out. I was terrified, kiddo. And not because of his criminal background or the age difference, of course not. What scared me to death was the way you looked at each other. That look meant that I had another person to worry about, one that was predisposed to disaster and tragedies. Can you guess why? Because if something happened to him, it would have killed you. And then, one day you came home and told me about how much you loved him, as if I didn’t know it already, and the many plans you had together, as if Derek hadn’t consulted me first, because he was afraid of not being enough for you. You can’t judge the present through the lens of the past, nowadays you’re not the teenager who drove Derek crazy. And he is not the man who didn’t know how to communicate.”

“Don’t judge the past through the lens of the present,” Stiles mumbles. “You got it wrong, dad.”

“Smartass.”

Stiles smiles, feeling more comfortable with the insult.

“Thanks. I… needed that.”

“You may have made of me a grandfather, but you’re still my son. Remember that. And be careful today. I’ll watch Gael for as long as you need me too, but he’ll get upset if you’re not home before dusk.”

“Afraid of the dark?” Stiles guesses.

“Just like you. What are you going to do now?”

Stiles shrugs.

“You know, try to get the pack together. My task is to find Erica Reyes and Lydia Martin.”

“You better call Lydia. She lives in Texas with Jackson, now.”

Stiles gapes. Mostly because he would not have expected that relationship to last. Jackson and Lydia are simply too explosive for each other. Two dominant characters could not work like that. Not when Jackson is a jackass who fails to appreciate Lydia’s intelligence and awesomeness.

“Melissa told me they were pack.”

“They are, but they are like a satellite group, working on the external relations of the pack. They visit Beacon Hills quite often,” the Sheriff explains. “As for Erica… If she’s lost her memories… well, I guess you know how she was before the bite, right?”

“All I remember is that she suffers from epilepsy.”

“Lycanthropy helped with that, but I bet she doesn’t know that now. Be careful, okay? You can be… intense, sometimes.”

Stiles rolls his eyes. What others call ‘intensity’, he calls it ‘enthusiasm’.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be a good boy. Let me know if Gael needs anything.”

“Sure thing, kiddo. Good luck.”

Stiles hugs him one last time before going back to the Jeep, his right hand already on his phone, ready to dial Lydia’s number. If she has forgotten everything too, explaining everything to such a stubborn and sceptic girl is not going to be easy, especially if she is in a different state.

Once on the road, Stiles uses the free-hand car kit to call her.

“I don’t have much time, so speak fast, sweetie,” Lydia answers immediately.

“You know who I am!”

“What are you talking about, Stiles?”

“Ok, listen.”

For approximately two minutes, Stiles speaks non-stop while he drives through Beacon Hills, trying to find Erica’s house. Lydia sighs from time to time, but does not interrupt him, which Stiles appreciates.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about us. We remember everything,” she finally says. “Maybe it’s because of the distance. Whoever did this was not powerful enough to make their spell work a thousand kilometers away.”

“That’s good news,” Stiles mutters. “But just in case, be careful, okay?”

“I always am, Stiles. You’re the reckless one.”

Stiles smirks, taking a turn to the left.

“I’m adventurous, not reckless, thank you very much.”

“Whatever. Let me know if you need anything. If you can’t fix it, don’t worry. We’ll be there in a couple of weeks.”

“I have a kid, Lydia. I can’t be amnesic for that long.”

“Poor Gael. Has he forgotten everything too?”

That is when it hits him. His son is pack, of course he is. And yet, he has his memories. Why?

“Now that you mention it…”

“Oh, my God, you’ve just noticed that your son hasn’t been affected by the spell? What kind of father are you?”

“A sixteen-year-old one, thanks for asking,” he replies, bitterly. “Call you later, Lydia, I have to go.”

He hangs up, not waiting for an answer. It may be pleasant not being ignored by his first crush, but not to be reminded of the mess he is in.

By the time he is knocking on Erica’s door, the night has fallen, the dim light of the streetlights filing the porch Stiles is standing in with shadows. Despite the silence he receives as an answer to his knock and the darkness that can be seen through the windows, Stiles insists a couple of times, growing more impatient with each one of them.

“Oh, come on!” he grunts, completely frustrated. “I’ve left my kid with my dad and he needs me back. And I’m tired and hungry and, and… AGH! I fucking want my life back, okay?! I don’t understand why I have to be the one responsible and reasonable! I’m sixteen, for God’s sake. I keep telling everybody what to do, and then, they ignore me and I have to save their asses. But then, no one comes for me, you know? Scotty is too infatuated with Allison. Derek, who is supposed to be a fucking adult, is mad at me because somehow, we’re married now! But not even in these circumstances does he assume his responsibilities, of course not! I’m the one who has to plan everything and take care of the kid and talk alone in the middle of nowhere because you, Erica Reyes, are not here! And if you’re not at your parent’s, then I have no clue where the fuck you could be!”

“Stiles?”

A scared voice calls him from behind, interrupting his speech. Stiles jumps, taken by surprise. When he turns, Erica is there, dressed in an oversized grey hoodie and a pair of old sweats. She does not look different at all. Not even older.

“God bless you,” he says to the sky.

“I… what are you doing here?” Erica avoids his eyes and keeps some distance between them.

“I came for you! Do you remember what happened?”

Erica shakes her head.

“My parents are gone,” she whispers. “I don’t know why. I feel… weird. I don’t have my meds with me. I…”

“It’s okay,” Stiles says. “I know how you feel. I can’t remember anything, either.”

“You look… different,” she confirms, a bit more confident.

“I’m twenty-seven now. Can you believe it?”

“How have we forgotten the past decade?”

“I wish I had an answer to that. But the important thing here is that… I need you to trust me. You have no reasons to do it, but…”

“I do trust you,” she admits.

Stiles frowns.

“What? Why?”

“You’re trustworthy. A good friend. I’ve seen you around at school, always taking care of your best friend and being nice to Lydia, even though she’s a bitch. I may be invisible, but you’re not.”

Although there is no accusation hidden in her words, Stiles feels guilty.

“You’re not invisible, Erica. I see you,” or at least, he does now. “Let me take you to your family,” _to your pack_. “I promise you’ll feel better.”

Stiles offers his hand to the girl, waiting for a rejection. When Erica accepts it, a warm feeling of accomplishment invades his exhausted body. From that moment on, he is the one feeling better. Maybe it is because Erica is weaker than him. Maybe it is because she really needs him. But now being in charge is not such an unbearable burden. He can do this. If not for himself, for Erica.

“Is this a joke?” the girl asks when they enter Deaton’s clinic. “A vet?”

“I know: so many dog jokes, so little time…”

“Dog jokes?’

Stiles bites his tongue, remembering in the last second that Erica still does not know about werewolves. Fuck. He must be careful if he does not want her running away.

“Don’t listen to me.”

“Stiles!” Scott hugs him as soon as he enters the room. “What took you so long?”

“Finding this girl wasn’t easy,” he answers. “I guess you didn’t find Jackson.”

“His father said that he lives in Texas now,” Scott explains, letting him go. “And, uh…”

“With Lydia, I know. I talked to her. It’s okay, man.”

Stiles takes a look at the room. Deaton is already there, watching them with an amused expression. Derek is in the corner, creepy as ever, his body stiff. Isaac is close to him, shaking. Boyd is next to the window, looking bored and angry at the same time. Allison seems to be struggling the most with the situation, probably still believing that Scott left them in a classroom to die.

“Being together will ease your anxiety,” Deaton informs them. “Even without your memories, your wolves can feel the pack.”

“Stiles?” Erica calls him, taking a step towards him. “Are you making fun of me?”

“You didn’t tell her,” Derek states.

“You are her Alpha. I’m not doing your job,” Stiles retorts before turning to Erica. “He lacks social skills, but you can trust whatever he says, okay?”

Erica quickly glances at the werewolf.

“Are you leaving?”

“No,” he says at the same time Derek replies with a ‘yes’. “What? Are you serious? I may not be anything in our world, but in this reality, I’m pack. You can’t send me away.”

“I can and I will,” Derek insists.

“Fuck you, Hale.”

“Stiles, wait,” Deaton raises a hand, asking the boy to stay put. “You’re not feeling better, are you? I can feel your uneasiness. A pack will never be at peace if its Alpha is suffering. Is it because two Betas are missing?”

Derek shakes his head. It is a relief to see that his angry look does not fade away when he is not staring at Stiles.

“Gael,” Stiles mutters, understanding. “He should be with us.”

Derek closes his eyes for a moment as he takes a deep breath.

“Of course, your cub,” Deaton agrees. “Where is he?”

“I’ll ask my dad to bring him,” Stiles decides, already retrieving his phone from the pocket of his jeans.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And daddy?”
> 
> “He has to save the world,” Stiles is rewarded with a smile that melts his heart. “But he’ll cook breakfast tomorrow.”
> 
> To Stiles’ surprise, Derek does not complain. Instead, he heads towards the exit. Gael watches the Alpha with a pout.
> 
> “Is daddy mad at us, papa?” he speaks very softly. “He hasn’t given us our thousand kisses.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! Sorry for the delay.  
> Hope you enjoy this one. I'm almost done with my finals, so I'll probably be updating more often from now on.  
> Thanks a lot for reading!  
> <3 <3

Gael’s presence calms the Alpha down. The moment Derek touches his son’s hair, Stiles can feel the Betas relaxing. By the time the Sheriff is gone, the kid is dozing in the werewolf’s arms, the big smile that took hold of his face the moment he saw his parents not entirely gone yet. Stiles stands next to the chair Derek is seated on, ignoring the curious looks they are attracting.

“Shall we proceed?”

Although the answer is not directed at the Alpha, Deaton is clearly waiting for his permission. Derek gives him a short nod, still mesmerized with Gael.

“Good. I’ve been told that this time you were not involved in a fight. Is that right?” the pack nods in agreement. “And yet, the spell has affected all of you, except for Lydia and Jackson.”

“And Gael,” Stiles points out. “He remembers everything.”

“He is too young to suffer the consequences of amnesia. As you can all see, the curse has reset your memories to a previous stage. At such a young age, Gael does not have anything to forget,” Deaton explains, not taken by surprise. “But as I was saying, it is curious to see that the entire pack is amnesic, and there is only one answer to this enigma. No witch is powerful enough to do this, but there are shortcuts. Hit the Alpha, get the Betas.”

Everybody turns towards Derek, who is now frowning but still looking at the kid.

“Are they really talking about us as if we were wolves?” Erica asks Boyd who just happens to be by her side.

The boy raises an eyebrow.

“Werewolves,” he corrects her before flashing his eyes blue.

The only reason why Erica does not scream or run away is because Derek is now growling, keeping his puppies under control.

“Stop talking,” he grunts before addressing Deaton. “So, I was the one hit by the spell.”

“Yes,” the man says. “Your pack bonds are strong enough to spread the spell through your Betas. Where were you when you lost your memories?”

“A warehouse near the easternmost border of the preserve.”

“You should go there and see if you can catch a scent, something that may tell you who did this.”

“If we find the witch, will we be able to reverse it?” Scott asks.

“You will have to convince them to undo the spell,” Deaton replies. “I’m assuming that they hit Derek for a reason. They had a purpose, an agenda. So, don’t let your guard down.”

“And if they don’t cooperate?”

“Then I will have to help you, just like I did seven years ago,” Deaton’s response makes Stiles wonder what exactly happened back then.

“I lost my memories too, right? My dad mentioned something about that,” he says out loud.

Deaton nods.

“When you were twenty, you forgot everything, even your name, while protecting Derek from a curse,” Stiles forces himself not to look at the Alpha. Instead, he stays focused on the man talking. “I prepared some herbal tea that accelerated your healing process.”

“Why don’t you do that now?”

“Because this is different. The witch that took your memories was immediately killed by Derek. The spell was already weak due to his death. I could make you drink the same beverage, but it would take you months to see the results.”

Stiles sighs. Everywhere his gaze falls, despaired looks meet his eyes.

“In any case, if the witch doesn’t help us, we could always kill them, and then drink the tea, right?”

Boyd’s suggestion makes Allison tremble, the thought of killing a human being whose existence probably considered improbable mere hours ago unsettling her.

“I thought you weren’t killers,” she whispers.

“I’m not!” Erica protests. “I don’t even know why I’m here.”

“You should control your puppies, big guy,” Stiles says, leaning against the wall.

Derek does not bother with an answer. Instead, he stands up and puts Gael on the chair, carefully placing his little head on the armrest. As he approaches Erica, the girl moves back, terrified, until her back meets the closed door and Derek captures in between his arms, both extended, his fits pressed against the surface above Erica’s head.

“You’re a werewolf, my Beta, whether you like it or not. That explains your enhanced senses, your predisposition to obey my orders, everything. Now, I want you to keep your mouth shut. Have I made myself clear?”

Erica gulps and remains silent, already following Derek’s instructions.

“I don’t want to be here. I’m calling my dad,” Allison decides.

Scott intercepts Derek before the Alpha gets to the girl, pushing him aside.

“Don’t you dare going anywhere near her,” Scott hisses.

“Hey, Ally,” Stiles calls her in a desperate attempt to put an end to the tension. “Remember I was in that classroom too? And yet, I trust Scott and this dysfunctional pack. More importantly, your father does trust them. So why don’t you give us a chance? You’re obviously not seventeen anymore, you’re amnesic just like us. Let’s work together to fix this, okay?”

Allison bites her lip, giving Derek the perfect opportunity to speak again.

“I want the werewolves to patrol the preserve,” he announces, impetuously. “We’ll start with the warehouse and follow any suspicious scent from there. As for the humans,” when Stiles and Derek stare at each other, the room stays silent, expectantly waiting for the next battle between Alpha and boy. “I’d ask you to step aside, but you won’t. So just try not to be a pain in the ass, do some research.”

“Okay dokey.”

“And…” his eyes fix on Gael, still sleeping on the chair.

“I’ll take him home and work from there,” Stiles does not need him to articulate his concern. He knows what it is for a very a simple reason: they share the same angst when it comes to the little kid. “I mean, your house. Not home.”

Derek nods, satisfied with the solution.

“Isaac, go with them. You’re in no condition to work with us, but if something happens, you’ll be able to protect them.”

“Allison should come with us too,” Stiles decides as Derek shoots him a murderous look. “She’s pack, dude. Get over it.”

“I’d rather go home,” she whispers.

“Allison, please,” Scott begs, making use of those powerful puppy eyes of his. “Go with Stiles. Let me protect you.”

Stiles squats next to Gael. He has seen his best friend humiliating himself in front of Allison too many times, he is in no hurry to witness the painful process once again.

“Hey, buddy. We’re going home,” his soft voice awakens Gael, who yawns in response as he opens his big eyes.

“And daddy?”

“He has to save the world,” Stiles is rewarded with a smile that melts his heart. “But he’ll cook breakfast tomorrow.”

To Stiles’ surprise, Derek does not complain. Instead, he heads towards the exit. Gael watches the Alpha with a pout.

“Is daddy mad at us, papa?” he speaks very softly. “He hasn’t given us our thousand kisses.”

Stiles feels the gaze of everybody in the room falling on them, even Allison’s, who has stopped staring at Scott. When he takes Gael in his arms and stands up, the little boy is still waiting for a response, ready to start crying if he does not get a satisfactory one, one that promises him that his father is in no way angry with him.

“Of course not! He…”

Derek’s sigh interrupts his improvisation. The Alpha turns around and approaches them, a small smile on his face. Once he is close enough, he kisses Gael’s head and lets his nose brush against his son’s neck, scenting him. Stiles watches them in silence, fascinated with the moment. As Derek takes a step back, father and son share a conspiratorial look. Who would have thought that Derek Creeper Hale was good with kids?

The magic is broken, though, when Gael’s inquisitive eyes wait expectantly for the man to interact with his other father. Stiles’ heart races, and this time he does not even care about the presence of five werewolves with ultra-sensitive hearing in the room. His jaw tensed, Derek turns to Stiles. Whereas Gael and the Alpha were able to communicate without words, Stiles lacks such ability. Derek may be thinking about unicorns and fairies, or killing the annoying teenager who has become his husband. Stiles does not know.

The kiss that follows is short and soft. Somehow, Stiles manages to close his eyes despite the shock, but does not move otherwise. As Derek walks away, Stiles is rewarded with a sight of Derek’s back and very nice… Stiles stops himself before finishing that thought. No. No way. That is not happening. Not in this universe.

“Dude,” Scott mutters when the Alpha is gone.

Stiles sees his own bewilderment reflected on his best friend’s face.

“Uncle Isaac!” Gael screams, breaking free from Stiles’ grip.

The odd boy stays still while the kid hugs his right leg.

“What the hell?” Stiles asks. “He knows Lahey and calls him ‘uncle’, but he doesn’t know Scotty? This is bullshit.”

“Are you coming with us? Where’s Maya?” Gael raises his head to meet Isaac’s eyes.

“Uh…” Isaac, just like the rest of them, ignores who Maya is. “Yeah, I’ll be with you tonight. Maya is… busy?”

“Scott, Boyd, Erica. Do I have to buy you a leash or will you follow me?” Derek growls from the entrance.

“I still don’t like him,” Scott mutters.

Whatever his feelings, the Beta obeys and the other two follow him, probably trusting him more than their Alpha.

“This is quite interesting,” Deaton murmurs. “Many sociologists would love to study this situation.”

“I bet they’d be even more interested in the fact that werewolves exist,” Stiles retorts, already taking Gael in his arms. “Let’s go home. He should be sleeping. Allison, you’re invited to join us, but do as you want.”

Honestly, Stiles does not care about Allison. Not right now, at least. He is exhausted and done caring for others when no one cares for him. Allison is Scott’s problem. He has more than enough dealing with Derek and looking after Gael.

One hour later he has put Gael on his bed. After kissing him goodnight, Stiles joins Isaac in the kitchen, where the boy has already started cooking dinner: a mountain of delicious peanut butter sandwiches.

“I’m asking Derek for a divorce and marrying you,” he announces with determination.

“A ‘thank you’ is enough,” Isaac replies as he takes a bite from one of them.

“You sure you don’t want my hot body?” Stiles winks an eye, his mouth full of bread and peanut butter. Isaac frowns, unsure of himself. Stiles watches him for a moment, considering Derek’s words concerning Isaac’s emotional status. “Are you okay?” Isaac nods, fixing his big eyes on the food. “Really?”

“My father is dead. I found his grave when I went home earlier today.”

“I’m sorry,” Stiles whispers.

“I’m not.”

Okay. Stiles was not expecting that.

“Uh… Should I say ‘congrats’? Cause that’d be weird, man.”

“Everything is weird now.”

“Tell me about it.”

What Stiles does not see coming is the fact of sleeping being his biggest problem so far. Is he supposed to take the master bedroom? All his clothes and belongings are there, but so are Derek’s… Wait, what is he doing? This is home, too. And Derek is gone. If he comes back before dawn, there is a very comfortable couch in the living room waiting for him.

In the end, Stiles puts on some sweatpants and an old t-shirt he finds in the closet. He falls asleep in less than ten seconds, promising that he will wake up in a couple of hours to start his new research project.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Stiles,” Derek insists.
> 
> “Why don’t you want this to be real?” he asks. “This is a pack, Derek. A good one. You were so fucking happy. Look! I didn’t know you could smile so much,” Stiles crawls until he is seated on the corner of the bed, letting Derek watch the video. “Why would a witch create such an awesome reality, dude? Unless… It’s me. I am the problem, right? You don’t want me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloooooooo!  
> This is my favourite chapter so far!!! Writing it was super fun. So please, let me know what you think!!!!  
> Thanks for reading! <3

“I can’t believe you were sleeping while I was suffering Derek’s existence in the middle of the woods,” Scott complains with a big cup of hot coffee in his hands.

“Not my fault you’re the werewolf and I’m not.”

“Actually, it is your fault. You dragged me into the murder scene that night, remember?”

Stiles shakes his head.

“I’m having trouble remembering stuff. Try later,” he jokes.

Scott bursts laughing.

“Good one,” he admits. “But honestly, it was awful. I’m terrible at tracking scents, and Boyd and Erica didn’t even know where to start.”

“I bet Derek was pissed off.”

“Not really. He wasn’t focused on the task, either,” Scott replies after taking a sip of coffee.

“The mighty Alpha is having trouble following his own orders? Oh, man…” Stiles sits on the stool next to his friend. The clock has just struck six o’clock, meaning that they still have some time left before Gael wakes up. “Have you heard from Allison?”

“Chris texted me earlier. She’s back home.”

“You can’t blame her, you know? Learning about your boyfriend being a supernatural creature is… tough.”

“Talking from experience?”

Stiles fights back a smile.

“Yep. It wasn’t easy loving you when you were trying to kill me.”

Scott hits him on the shoulder.

“Fuck off,” his smile vanishes a second later. “I don’t blame her. I get it. This is too messed up. But… I miss her so much it hurts, Stiles. I’ve never felt anything like this. It’s not only emotional, it’s… physical.”

Stiles arches an eyebrow.

“Dude, that was deep.”

“It happens when a werewolf loses their mate.”

Both boys turn to Derek, who is standing next to the door, watching them with a cautious look.

“Are you fucking serious?! Mates are real?” Stiles asks.

Derek nods.

“They’re not easy to find. Their bound creates an emotional and physical connection. It enables them to feel whatever the other is feeling, and it hurts when they spend too much time separated.”

“And it works with humans, too? Is Allison experiencing the same?”

“Not in the same way. Betas are more sensitive than their human counterparts. Not as much as Alphas, but still.”

Scott leaves his cup on the countertop and stands up.

“I need to see her. I’ll call you later.”

“Stay alert. We haven’t found the witches, but they must be somewhere.”

“Don’t worry.”

Stiles grabs Scott’s cup and takes it to the sink.

“Have you found anything?”

“I haven’t started my research yet. Give me a break, man,” Stiles replies. “Can I ask you something?”

Derek frowns, already expecting the worst.

“Since when do you ask for permission?”

Stiles rolls his eyes.

“Am I your mate?”

“No.”

The answer comes too fast, and Stiles knows he is lying. In different circumstances, he would not have asked the question. Low self-esteem and a serious lack of courage when it comes to dealing with feelings would have kept him from questioning the Alpha. But now, facing an exhausted Derek, Stiles is sure the man is not telling the truth.

“Liar,” he mutters. “Why do you hate me so much, dude?”

Instead of replying, Derek turns around and leaves the room. Stiles waits patiently while the man moves from room to room on the second floor, and is not surprised when he is back wearing a clean white t-shirt and a new pair of black sweatpants.

“Enjoy your run! Bring back a bunny for lunch!” Stiles says as the front door closes behind his lovely husband.

His optimism is gone as soon as he is back in the master bedroom, lying on the mattress with the mobile of a stranger in his hands. His mobile. Although Stiles loves teasing Derek, he cannot stop himself from questioning their marriage too. How the hell did they find in love? He opens his text messages and starts reading, ignoring the last ones asking about the Alpha’s whereabouts that went unanswered.

 

**Stiles: der, if a crab falls in love with another crab… would it be its crushtacean?**

**Derek: I don’t know why I love you**

**Stiles: gael laughed**

**Derek: He’s three. Of course he laughed, Stiles.**

**Stiles: and you’re my huggy derbear**

**Derek: I hate you**

**Stiles: no, you don’t. if you did, you wouldn’t had put a ring on it**

**Derek: I didn’t. You saw the ring and took it. You didn’t give me a chance to ask.**

**Stiles: your intentions were clear, sweetgums**

The last message received no reply. The next one was sent by Stiles again a day later, twenty-four hours before Derek’s disappearance.

 

**Stiles: omg, der**

**Stiles: we have a very important question**

**Derek: ?????**

**Derek: I’m working out with Isaac and Erica, I don’t have time for your games. Is everything okay?**

**Stiles: yep**

**Stiles: but it is VERY important**

**Derek: go ahead**

**Stiles: how does a dragon blow out their birthday candles???????**

**Stiles: …der? gael’s very worried. and so am i**

**Derek: Tell him they can’t. They don’t celebrate birthdays, and that’s why they never age and live forever instead.**

**Stiles: you’re a genius. Ilysm**

**Derek: I love you, too. Even though you text like a twelve-year old girl.**

God. They were good. They were great, in fact. Stiles can barely recognize the Derek he knows in those text messages. He is still reading old conversations when the werewolf comes back and without a word, takes clean clothes from the closet and locks himself in the en-suite bathroom. While the water runs in the shower, Stiles retrieves his laptop from the floor and starts his research. However, he does not manage to focus on his task. Instead, he opens every folder he finds. There is a huge pdf called ‘Bestiary 2.0 with notes by Stiles Stilinski-Hale’, pictures of Gael, and many videos and other memories from pack meetings and trips.

One of those videos is playing, one recorded by Boyd in which the entire pack is celebrating Gael’s first birthday, when Derek leaves the bathroom, a towel loosely wrapped around his waist and drops of water covering his well-built body.

“That won’t help us now,” he growls.

Stiles does not move. He keeps his eyes on the screen, taking in every detail: their smiles, their complicity. They really were a family. Erica looks completely different, more confident, and so does Isaac. Even Scott is not the same.

“Stiles,” Derek insists.

“Why don’t you want this to be real?” he asks. “This is a pack, Derek. A good one. You were so fucking happy. Look! I didn’t know you could smile so much,” Stiles crawls until he is seated on the corner of the bed, letting Derek watch the video. “Why would a witch create such an awesome reality, dude? Unless… It’s me. I am the problem, right? You don’t want me.”

A pair of flashing eyes is not the answer one would want to that question, yet that is what Stiles gets. Somehow, he has upset Derek more than ever and that does not make him feel any better.

“Stop undervaluing yourself, for God’s sake.”

“Uh. Then… you do like me.”

“No. You’re a kid,” Derek retorts. “A cute and annoying one, but a kid. I never looked at you twice.”

That hurts. A bit. Maybe a lot. But it does not stop Stiles.

“And now?” the boy gulps. Derek averts his eyes, giving Stiles the perfect opportunity to take a deep breath. “Are you feeling what Scott is feeling? Anxiety because we haven’t been together? Pain?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Derek says, his voice as cold as ice.

“You’re right. It doesn’t. Because this isn’t real, right? So… why deny yourself of your needs when nothing counts?”

“I don’t do this, Stiles,” Derek replies, taking a step towards him. “I don’t do happiness. My pack dies, my partners betray me. I’m no Alpha. I can’t have this.”

“Your past does not define your future. Or present. Whatever this is,” Stiles insists.

Derek snorts.

“Why do you care so much? You don’t like me. And I won’t be your remedy to forget Lydia.”

“I didn’t like you, that’s true. But I kind of get you. When my mom passed away, I went crazy, man. I lost my mind. I don’t know what I’d have done if I had lost my dad too. And that’s what happened to you, isn’t it? You lost your entire family, and then your sister. You had your reasons to be an asshole. Most people won’t understand, but I do.”

“Well, without your memories, I’m still that person.”

Stiles closes his laptop and stands up in front of Derek. They are almost the same height, so their eyes meet on an equal footing.

“No, you’re not. Because I’ve seen you with Gael. And we have all those messages, pictures and videos. I’ve seen who you really are. And maybe it’s our stupid mate bound talking, but I... want you.”

When Derek presses his body against Stiles’, the boy suddenly remembers something: he may be twenty-seven now, but his mind is the one of a virgin teenager. This is going to be embarrassing. Terribly so.

“Stiles…”

“Fuck you, Hale,” Stiles interrupts him, impatiently. “If you want this to be a one night stand, fine. But let me tell you something: once we get our memories back and you fucking remember how much you love me, I’ll make you pay for your shitty attitude.”

Derek’s lips curve upwards. There is something familiar in this teasing, a faint sense of intimacy impossible to grasp. Likewise, it does not feel odd when the Alpha places his warm hands on Stiles’ hips, sending a quiver through his body. Up close, the green iris metamorphoses into a rainbow of aquamarine colors, a festival of color-schemes that takes Stiles’ breath away. It is not without reluctance that he closes his eyes as the man touches with his nose the most sensitive spot of his neck. Drops of water dampen the old hoodie he is wearing.

“Didn’t you learn how to use a towel? Were you raised by wolves?” The bite with which Derek answers liberate the moan Stiles suppressed when they first touched. “Okay, don’t know if that was meant to be a punishment, but it’s definitely a turn-on. A massive turn-on.”

The stubble covering Derek’s cheeks and chin is rough at the touch, yet Stiles takes his time tracing the hard line of his jaw before leaning towards him. Once their lips meet, a frenetic rhythm takes hold of them. Pieces of clothing fly in every direction, leaving behind them two naked bodies that in fits and starts find their way to the bed. The sole fact of being capable of physically exciting Derek, of making him so hard that he can feel his erection pulsing against his stomach when he is busy leaving a trail of kisses on the Alpha’s clavicles, is enough to obliterate all his insecurities. At least until Derek goes stiff and Stiles starts thinking about the many mistakes he may have made.

“What is it? Are you having second thoughts? Please, tell me you’re not.”

“Gael is awake,” Derek answers, his voice hoarse.

“You have to be kidding me.”

Stiles lets himself fall on top of Derek.

“Sorry,” the man whispers as he runs a hand through the boy’s hair.

“Promise we’ll get back to this later.”

“You have my word.”

Stiles raises his head to meet Derek’s eyes. The soft smile with which he is rewarded is everything to him.

“Good. Now get dressed if you don’t want our kid to be traumatized for the rest of his life.”


	6. Chapter 6

Something changes after that morning. Not only in their relationship, but in the way Stiles feels too. His inability to focus on the research is now gone, and as soon as Derek is taking care of Gael, Stiles finds himself seated in front of his laptop in the kitchen, browsing the Internet while reading the so-called Bestiary 2.0. He does not buy Deaton’s solution as the only available panacea. It may be the easier way of getting rid of their amnesia, but the witch’s cooperation is not to be expected, so there must be another possibility. If everything started because of Derek, maybe getting his memories back will be enough to get rid of the amnesia of the entire pack. The Alpha is the key, Stiles only needs to figure out how to unlock his past.

“I brought donuts!”

Scott’s enthusiastic look twitches the moment he enters the room with a huge box of donuts and three big cups of coffee.

“I love you so much, dude,” Stiles greets him, ignoring his wrinkled nose.

“Daddy! Can I have a donut, pretty please?” Gael asks from the living room.

“Only one.”

Stiles opens the box and inspects its contents. There is a chocolate iced raspberry filled one that is meant be his.

Scott lets them take their breakfast, his eyes focused on Stiles. When Derek and Gael are once again gone, the boy approaches his best friend and whiffs him.

“The hell are you doing, man,” Stiles complains as he pushes him away.

“You reek of Derek and sex.”

“Oh, my God, Scott! Respect my privacy!”

“But-but why would you…?”

“Stop. I’m not having this conversation with you. Now, sit down and help me out.”

Although Scott immediately obeys, they spend the next twenty minutes in awkward silence; Stiles eating donuts and reading his notes, Scott pretending to search for information on memory spells while cautiously watching his friend with a look of disgust. If Stiles wants to be left alone, then there is only one question that can make Scott forget everything about his adventures with the Alpha.

“Did you talk to Allison?”

“Yes! We’re fine now. She came back home.”

“I’m happy for you two. This is the life you deserve.”

Scott nods at the same time he takes his second donut.

“It kind of makes sense. I’m a vet now, she works at the city hall, and apparently we wanted to have a kid,” he explains. “But… I still don’t get why Gael didn’t know me.”

“That’s crazy,” Stiles agrees. “Maybe we grew apart.”

“But why? I want you to be my best friend forever.”

“Me too, man,” Stiles sighs. “I’m afraid of learning the truth. I don’t wanna ask my dad. What if something terrible happened?”

“This could be our opportunity to fix it, don’t you think?” Scott’s voice sounds hopeful, almost desperate.

“Yeah. Whatever happened, I don’t care. You’re my brother,” Stiles offers him a big smile. “Should we kiss?”

“Your husband is in the other room playing with your child. Have some decency, Stilinski.”

“And I’m hearing everything,” Derek points out from the living room.

Scott suppresses a laugh.

“Okay, let’s get back to business. What have you found?”

“Nothing,” Stiles admits. “But I have an idea. Look. Deaton said that the only reason why we’re suffering from amnesia is because Derek is our Alpha, right?”

“You wanna get rid of him?” Scott looks scandalized.

Stiles rolls his eyes.

“Seriously? I’m talking about forcing Derek to remember.”

“Because if he remembers, so will we,” the werewolf deduces. “But how do we force him to remember?”

“Well, the thing is that although his memories are gone, his instincts are not.”

“May I participate in this conversation or should I leave my fate in your hands?” Derek asks from the doorstep, Gael in his arms.

“Come here, sourwolf,” Stiles invites him. “Am I right about your instincts?”

“Yes,” he replies before sitting on the stool next to his mate. “I can feel my bound with the pack, but especially my link with Gael and yourself.”

“That’s what I thought. Maybe that’s the key. Not Gael, he’s out of the question. I don’t want him involved in this. But…”

“We’re not going to like your plan,” Scott interrupts him.

“What’s your brilliant idea? Risking your life to make me remember?” Derek asks.

“I don’t like your attitude,” Stiles protests.

Scott and Derek interchange a quick look.

“I’d rather wait and see if we can find the witches,” the beta finally says. “In the meantime, if Derek remembers something, cool. If not… we’ll follow Deaton’s advice.”

Stiles turns to Gael, who is watching them with curious eyes.

“You’re with me, aren’t you, buddy?” The kid gives him a nod, his face serious.

“You have the support of a three-year-old. Congratulations,” Derek says as he stands up. “I’m going to take him with your father. I’m meeting the betas in half an hour for another search.”

“I’ll wait for you here,” Scott decides. “Chris is on his way with Allison.”

“Isn’t it weird having Chris helping us out?” Stiles wonders without expecting an answer. “Well, my son, give your old papa a kiss before you leave,” he adds, his stretched arms waiting for a hug.

Derek leans towards him, letting Gael kiss Stiles’ cheek and receive the embrace. But as soon as the man tries to stand straight, Stiles takes him by the collar of his shirt and presses a short kiss into his lips.

“For the road,” the boy explains.

In the brief moment their eyes meet, Stiles discerns a red flash that is pleasantly followed by a growl. Stiles does not complain when the second kiss happens to be deeper and longer. However, Scott does.

“Gross…”

Gael laughs at the comment, not as shocked as the beta by his fathers’ behavior.

“Don’t be so childish, Scotty,” Stiles reprimands him as soon as he can. “And you… be good to your grandpa, okay?”

Gael nods with all his diligence.

Stiles watches them go, already missing the two of them.

“Of all the weird things in our future, your marriage is the weirdest one.”

“You think so? Cause I would have never thought that Erica Reyes would end up being a werewolf,” Stiles replies. “And Deaton acting as our druid is quite astonishing.”

“Deaton takes second place. Erica third. But the gold medal has your name on it.”

“Fair enough,” Stiles admits.

They spend the next ten minutes making a ranking of what they consider to be the most unexpected aspects of their lives. When the Argents enter the house without announcing their presence, both boys are arguing over Derek’s alphaness.

“I’m not surprised! He’s been a werewolf his entire life. I’m sure he was meant to be an Alpha,” Stiles defends his husband.

“He was a mess, dude. I’m not saying that he hasn’t changed but come on. We didn’t see it coming.”

"All I’m saying is that it’s not a surprise. I wouldn’t put it on this ranking.”

“You’re love-sick.”

“The pot calling the kettle black…” Stiles mutters to himself.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“Allison, wait.”

Allison does not wait. In fact, she ignores her father and walks towards Scott, who is now looking pale.

“What’s wrong? What’s happened?” the beta asks.

“You knew, didn’t you?”

There are tears running down her cheeks, although she does not look sad. Of course not. She looks outraged, furious. Fearsome. Stiles is glad of not being the object of her anger.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Scott replies before looking at Chris.

The man is standing next to the door, visibly affected by her daughter’s attitude.

“She just found out about her mother,” Chris says in a whisper.

“Derek killed her,” Allison adds. “And now you want me to believe that I’m part of his pack? Of this circus of freaks?”

Stiles is paralyzed by her words. For an instant, the world stops, and he is only aware of what her words imply. Chaos. Pain. Uncertainty.

“He didn’t,” Chris intervenes. “Your mother took her own life. What Derek did was to save Scott and to defend himself.”

“I don’t get it,” Stiles says. “Do you get it?”

Scott shakes his head. He has placed his hands on Allison’s arms, trying to calm her down.

“Back then we… We were struggling with what you are,” Chris explains after a sigh. “Victoria tried to kill you, Scott, and Derek tried to save you, but he was overwhelmed. He bit Victoria twice before she managed to escape. My wife decided to commit suicide before turning into a werewolf. It was her decision, Allison. What Derek did was in self-defense.”

Allison lets out a bitter laugh.

“How can you be okay with this, dad?”

“Our family made many mistakes, Allison. Your aunt, your mother, even myself. It took me a while to understand that we were responsible for our own misery, but in the end, I did it. With your help.”

“I’m sure you knew about this, Ally,” Stiles says. “If you’re part of this pack it’s because you forgave Derek for whatever happened back then. Have some faith in yourself.”

 The girl turns to Scott, who is still silently holding her.

“What do you want to do?” the werewolf asks.

Stiles admires his friend’s loyalty, he really does, but not right now. Not when they are talking about their Alpha, about _his_ husband, the father of his child.

“I don’t know.”

Stiles takes his laptop and notes and stands up. He leaves the room without a word.

“Stiles,” Chris calls him.

Stiles lets him follow him to the second floor, where he waits for the man.

“May I help you?” he asks.

“I know Allison isn’t making this any easier for any of you, but try to empathize a bit.”

Stiles rolls his eyes.

“Why am I always the one who has to be tolerant and nice? Why can’t anyone empathize with me instead? She comes here accusing my husband of murder and I must be reasonable? Fuck that. I’m done with all of this.”

“You don’t even remember loving Derek, Stiles.”

“So, what? Should I betray him? Because that’s not gonna happen.”

“That’s not what I’m asking you to do.”

“No. You’re asking me to stay put when your daughter is trying to convince my best friend to give up on Derek,” Stiles retorts. “Instead of protecting Allison’s reputation, you should be trying to stop her before she ruins the life we all have built together. So far, she has only caused trouble while the rest of the pack has been working together to find a solution to our amnesia,” he then turns to leave, but suddenly remembers something holds him back. “By the way, if you’re not interested in helping Derek, you better get out of our fucking house.”

A slam of his bedroom door is the final touch to his dramatic exit.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Holy shit, is this what adulthood feels like?” the boy mutters to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! Hope you like this one <3 Thanks a lot for reading and for your lovely comments, you're awesome <3

Hypnosis can help unlock memories, or so Google says.

“’Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness in which memories can sometimes be more easily accessed. However, it is also a state in which the mind is open to fantasy and imagination. It is virtually impossible to tell whether recall of an incident is a memory of a real event, or a fantasy’,” Stiles reads out loud to the empty bedroom. “I’d pay to see Derek being hypnotized.”

Consequently, his next search includes the words ‘hypnotic induction techniques’. He is reading about the many options available when a creak catches his attention.

“Derek?” he asks with his eyes still fixed on the screen. “I’m upstairs, little wolf!”

He is so hooked on his research that he barely notices the lack of answer. It is not until a second creak sounds much closer that Stiles raises his head.

“Hello?”

The silence is broken by an irregular breathing. Stiles closes his laptop and gets up, already scanning the room in a desperate attempt to find anything to use as a weapon. It is at times like this when he regrets the most not having been turned into a werewolf. The sound of his steps is but a brush against the floor, and yet Stiles feels as if he were making the noises of a baby elephant trying to break free from a mud hole. In the end, he holds onto the lamp resting on the bedside table and unplugs it. When the knob is jiggled from the other side, Stiles is patiently waiting for the visitor to show up. He does not let the claw that comes into sight intimidate him. Instead and to his very surprise, he is mad at the creature for scratching the door. God knows how much it cost them.

“Holy shit, is this what adulthood feels like?” the boy mutters to himself.

The moment he speaks, the creature—a werewolf—leaps on him. The light bulb breaks immediately, leaving a trail of crystals behind it that finds its way into the werewolf’s skin. Stiles takes advantage of the distraction to get to the corridor and run away. He twists his ankle twice on his way downstairs, but it does not stop him. He can feel the creature on his heels, angrily growling as its frustration grows. He has almost reached the front door when the werewolf tackles him. The blow against the floor is not as painful as the impact of their bodies. Stiles tries to push it away, his hands shoving the deformed face of his attacker.

“You’re fucking dribbling!” he complains, focusing on not paying attention to the fangs.

“ISAAC! STOP!”

The interruption takes the werewolf by surprise, giving Stiles the perfect opportunity to free himself from its grip and crawl towards the front door, where a girl is staring at the creature with a terrified look.

“Oh, my God, whoever you are, I love you. I owe you my meaningless life,” Stiles says, still keeping an eye on the werewolf.

“You don’t know me? What happened? Why is Isaac feral?”

Every time the girl pronounces his name, the boy bows his head.

“Memory loss,” Stiles explains. “We have forgotten pretty much everything. And Isaac… well, he didn’t remember being a werewolf, so I guess he’s having trouble controlling himself.”

“That’s why he has been missing…” the stranger whispers. “I’m so sorry, Isaac. I didn’t look for you because I thought you needed some time for yourself.”

The werewolf tilts his head, attentively listening to her words.

“So, you are…”

“Maya. Isaac’s fiancée.”

“Ok, that makes sense. Thank you for saving my ass, Maya.”

“You’re welcome,” the girl smiles. “But… I still don’t get it. Shouldn’t he smell that you’re his Alpha’s mate?”

Stiles considers the question for a second.

“Yeah, probably. But Isaac’s had a quite traumatic childhood. I remember Derek saying something about his condition not making him fit for the werewolf role,” he replies after a while. “The good news is that he remembers you, or at least, that your voice can stop his rage.”

“Is it okay if I touch him?”

Stiles can still feel the spittle in his hands.

“I wouldn’t approach him.”

“So, what do we do now? Where’s Derek?”

Stiles shrugs.

“He was meeting the betas for a search like two hours ago. We’re trying to locate the witches who did this to us.”

Maya squats down before her fiancé.

“He never talks about his father,” she admits in a melancholy way. “I knew something terrible happened when he was younger, but I never imagined that it could change him this much.”

Isaac sadly moans, as if he were capable of understanding what Maya is saying.

“I heard things from my dad, but…”

“Don’t tell me. He will let me know when he’s ready,” Maya interrupts him. “Could you call Derek? I can’t stand watching him like this.”

“His phone doesn’t work but let me try Scott. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Carefully, trying not to scare Isaac, Stiles goes upstairs. His body is already aching from the fight, but he makes his way to the bedroom and retrieves his phone from under the pillows covering the bed.

**Stiles: Isaac’s gone crazy. Come home asap. Bring Derek.**

The boy is back in the hall, where Maya is still watching Isaac, when Scott replies.

**Scott: you ok????? we’ll be there in 5.**

**Stiles: I’m fine.**

Stiles puts away the phone before sitting on the floor next to Maya.

“Derek will fix this with his Alpha superpowers, don’t worry,” he says.

“He’s suffering.”

Indeed, Isaac is in pain. He has sunk his own claws into the skin of his palms; his face is in an excruciating in-between phase: half werewolf, half human. When his eyes meet Stiles’, the werewolf tries to pounce on him, only to be stopped by Maya once again.

“Isaac, don’t! Please, listen to me. He’s your friend, remember? You don’t want to hurt him,” bravely, she places both hands on Isaac’s shoulders.

Stiles bites his tongue, determined not to make any cutting remarks that would likely trigger the werewolf. He appreciates his life too much to risk it in such a reckless way. Nonetheless, Isaac is presented with another chance to lose control when a few moments later the rest of the pack enters the house led by an angry Derek. Feeling threatened by the intrusion, Isaac retreats while roaring. A single growl from his Alpha puts an end to his attitude.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Derek’s voice is muffled by his incipient fangs, though it does not make him sound any less ominous.

Isaac lets out a howl as an answer.

“Dude, you’ve got like a thousand bruises,” Scott says as he runs his eyes over the boy’s body.

“It’s nothing,” Stiles lies, still mad at his friend. “We should focus on Isaac. Wasn’t he with you?”

“He didn’t show up,” Boyd answers when the silence that follows the question is not broken by Derek. “We thought he might have had reconsidered his participation in the search because, you know, he’s a bit… unstable.”

Maya shoots him a murderous look.

“Why did he come here?” Scott asks.

Stiles shrugs.

“I don’t know. Maybe he followed his Alpha’s scent and it brought him here. When he discovered that Derek was missing, and that a human had taken his place, well… He wasn’t thrilled,” Stiles turns to Derek then, who has not averted his eyes from Isaac. “Be gentle, sourwolf. He doesn’t need a reprimand.”

“He attacked you,” the Alpha mutters with extreme caution, as if he were making an extraordinary effort to not get carried away by his wrath.

“I’m fine, Derek, but he isn’t,” Stiles insists.

“Boys,” Erica has moved to the closest window, the one to the right of the front door. “We have guests.”

This time nothing stops Derek from growling and leaving the house, three betas following him. Once he is sure that Maya and Isaac will be okay, Stiles goes after them. Two women have been surrounded by the pack. One of them is profoundly bleeding from a wound in the chest. The other one is holding her, her lips pursed.

“Their scent…” Erica says.

“You’re the witches who took my memories,” Derek concludes.

“And we need your help,” the standing one says. “I’ll give you back your memories in exchange.”

“No,” Derek barks. “You will remove the spell and leave Beacon Hills forever. Be grateful I won’t rip your throats out with my teeth.”

“Classy,” Stiles whispers. “Okay, okay, ladies, gentlemen, dogs... Maybe you haven’t noticed it, but there is a person bleeding to death, and I think it’d be appropriate to do something about that. Who is with me?”

Scott, God bless him, shyly raises his hand.

“You don’t come here and demand my help after what you have done to my pack,” Derek persists.

“You deserved so much worse,” the woman hisses. “I let you live, you were not as considerate with my father,” _crap, crap, crap_. That is all Stiles can think of, because he knows what comes next. “But of course, you don’t remember that, right? You didn’t when we met for the first time either. I suppose taking a man’s life is not relevant when you’re an expert murderer.”

“Allison was right,” Scott says. “We were right, Stiles. He’s a…”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Stiles begs him. “I don’t care, okay? Not right now. If you excuse me, I’m gonna take care of the woman and then… then… I don’t know,” Stiles goes past the werewolves and offers his shoulder to the injured. “Come on, Sabrina. Ignore my grumpy friends.”

Reluctantly, she accepts his help. Her partner follows them but stops before entering the house.

“We were an entertainment. They’re coming for you,” she tells Derek. “You’re their prey.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Stiles…” Scott calls him. “I’m not sure about any of this.”
> 
> “Then leave.”
> 
> The werewolf is taken aback by the response.
> 
> “You really want to stay here? With them?”
> 
> “Do I want to be with my son? Well, yeah.”
> 
> “We could take him with us,” Scott suggests.

Sabrina—whose real name is Andrea—does not hesitate once she is in the kitchen, her partner lying on the countertop. Stiles handles her everything she asks for: oregano, basil, olive oil, hot water, clean towels. The wound is not as bad as it looked out there, and it immediately starts healing when Andrea cleans the blood and commences to do her magic.

“Are you healing or seasoning her?” Stiles asks to break the ice. So much blood is making him feel woozy.

“Don’t look,” Derek barks from behind him. Stiles turns to the werewolf, glad to follow his orders. “Who did this?” he asks Andrea.

The witch is now cleaning the wound, which has almost vanished, and does not bother looking at the Alpha.

“The Counsel,” she answers. “Raoul contacted me three weeks ago. He told me about you, about what you did to my father. You are the reason why his coven disappeared.”

Derek’s face turns ashen.

“And you didn’t question his intentions? How clever.”

“He gave me the information I had been looking for. I didn’t care, not until he decided to kill us.”

“Who is Raoul? What’s the Counsel?” Stiles asks, completely lost.

Scott shrugs, and Boyd and Erica follow his example. If Maya and Isaac were in the room, they would probably do the same.

“Nothing,” Derek replies.

“Oh, fuck you. It is something. Something that’s coming for us. So, tell us, sourwolf.”

Andrea covers her friend’s chest with her own hoodie before speaking.

“This is what he wanted. He told me that the best way to ruin your life was to take away your memories, to weaken your pack. I see it’s worked.”

“No, no, no. It hasn’t. We love each other, okay?” Stiles contradicts her. “Right, Derek?”

Derek arches an eyebrow.

“The Counsel is like a mob.”

“A werewolf mob?”

Stiles tries to picture them, but all he manages to do is to imagine a group of dogs burying bones in backyards and barking at each other.

“You could say that,” Andrea agrees. “Raoul is their leader, an old Alpha who lost his pack decades ago. He now takes care of those omegas who have no place to call home.”

“When my family died, he came for me and my sister. He was expecting to find omegas and was disappointed to find out that we weren’t so. He came back to Beacon Hills after Laura’s death, offered me his protection. I declined, and he left. I never thought he’d return,” Derek explains.

“The Hale Pack holds a territory many wolves want. Of course, he is interested in you, asshole,” Andrea retorts.

Derek growls at her, unhappy with the term used to describe him.

“So, he reached some witches to make you lose your pack and attack, right? But, why did he go against you? You’re supposed to be his allies,” Stiles reasons.

“He wanted me to kill you. All of you. When I refused, he attacked me. Cara got in the way,” her eyes meet Cara’s pale face. “I wanted revenge, to make you lose something important, but not your life.”

“If I killed your father, I bet there was a good reason,” Derek replies.

“He… he was a prankster. He and his coven travelled the US fixing problems. Sometimes they accepted orders, others they picked people at random and helped them. But… they were not easy to understand. More often than not, people misunderstood their intentions. I have no idea what happened between you and my father. All I know is that when I was twelve, my father left for Beacon Hills and never returned. One of his companions told me about his death and your name.”

“Wait, when was that?” Stiles interrupts.

“Seven years ago.”

“Your father stole my memories,” Stiles announces. “That’s what happened. My father told me about it, and Deaton said that Derek killed the witch who cursed me immediately. Our Alpha is not a killer, Sabrina, he was protecting…”

“His mate,” Andrea mutters. “Oh, my God. How could he be so reckless?”

“I was going to say his pack, but okay, whatever,” Stiles whispers. “See? We’re good people,” Scott pointedly avoids his look. “Now, why don’t you give us back our memories?”

Andrea nods.

“I’ll need to work with your Alpha. Alone.”

Stiles is reluctant to leave Derek behind but has no option when the man gently pushes him towards the living room and asks him to take care of Isaac while he works with the witch.

“Is everything okay?” Maya asks.

Erica and Boyd keep their distance with the feral beta, while Scott cautiously waits by the stairs. Stiles is the only one brave enough to approach them.

“Yeah, those were the witches who cursed Derek. We’re getting our memories back. Isaac will be himself in the blink of an eye.”

Maya smiles as she presses a gentle kiss on Isaac’s temple.

“Have you heard that? You’re going to be okay.”

“Stiles…” Scott calls him. “I’m not sure about any of this.”

“Then leave.”

The werewolf is taken aback by the response.

“You really want to stay here? With them?”

“Do I want to be with my son? Well, yeah.”

“We could take him with us,” Scott suggests.

Stiles shakes his head before sitting on the couch next to Erica.

“Maybe this is why we’re no longer friends, Scotty. You, choosing Allison over me. Me, falling in love with Derek.”

“I’m not choosing her over you!”

“But you are! All the freaking time!” Stiles refuses to look his friend in the eye. He can’t deal with his puppy eyes right now. “I’m glad you’ve met the love of your life, dude, but ever since then, you… she’s the only thing you think about.”

“That’s unfair!”

As soon as those words are pronounced, Isaac breaks down in floods of tears. His agonizing weeping sends shivers down Stiles’ spine, making him forget all about the argument. Maya tries to comfort him with a hug, but the beta escapes and hides in a corner of the room, right behind the television.

“That witch better hurry up,” Boyd comments, nonchalantly.

“Before these two apply for divorce,” Erica jokes.

“I liked you better when you weren’t douchebags,” Maya tells them.

“Can you hear what’s going on in there?” Stiles interrupts.

Instantly, the three werewolves turn to the kitchen and remain silent. Stiles forces himself to keep his breathing and heartbeat under control.

Boyd is the first to talk.

“She’s speaking some language I don’t recognize.”

“And Derek?”

“We would feel if something happened to him,” Scott answers to Stiles’ question without hesitation, as if understanding his concern, something Stiles highly doubts. “But if they don’t come…”

Scott’s mouth is open and ready to continue the sentence, but no sound comes from his throat. Quietness invades the house. Maya observes them with curiosity but focuses her attention on Isaac when the boy stands up and leaves his rustled up hiding spot.

“Isaac?”

“I—” the werewolf clears his throat. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, thank God.”

This time Isaac does not run away from the hug. Instead, he catches the girl in between his arms. Stiles, having recovered from the shock, walks to the kitchen and pushes open the door without knocking first. He almost collides with Derek, who is in his way out, but manages to stop in the last moment and hold on to the man. The Alpha desperately kisses him.

“If—if you ever—if you ever disappear again, I swear to God I’ll kill you with my own hands,” Stiles whispers to his lips.

“I’m sorry,” Derek replies before kissing him again. “I’m really sorry,” out of breath, Stiles places his forehead against Derek’s, their noses barely touching each other, and lets his husband speak. “Thank you for trusting me even without your memories.”

“Well, that’s my thing, isn’t it? I always trust you,” he replies, smiling. “As for you…” reluctantly, Stiles breaks free from his grip and faces the witch. “If you ever touch my husband or our pack ever again, I’ll make sure you’ll pay for it. And believe me when I say that death won’t be the worst punishment you’ll receive.”

Derek bites his lower lip in an attempt to hide a proud smile.

“You’ll never see us again. But first, let’s put an end to Raoul’s terror,” Andrea says.

Stiles nods and turns to the Alpha. Touching his cheek again calms him down. It makes him feel at home.

“After this, we’ll go somewhere else for the rest of the summer, okay? Maybe we should take Gael to visit Cora in New Mexico.”

“That’d be nice,” Derek agrees, softly. “Let me check on Isaac. I’ll be back in a minute.”

When Stiles faces the witches again, Cara is waking up. Some color has returned to her face, and her eyes are fixed on Andrea’s. Some empathy finds its way to Stiles’ heart when the couple shares a short kiss.

“I’m taking care of this,” Andrea whispers, unaware of their audience. “I’ll make Raoul pay for what he did to you, and then… We’ll go home. We’ll buy that stupid bike you wanted and adopt a dog.”

Cara laughs, pleased with the promise.

“You sure you’ll be okay to fight?” Stiles asks.

“It won’t be a problem. Raoul may be an Alpha, but when we work together, nothing can stop us.”

As Andrea speaks, Cara sits up and readjusts her t-shirt. Although her movements are cautious and slow, no one would guess that half an hour earlier she was facing what looked like a certain and painful death.

“Good, because if that asshole thinks he can come here and destroy what we’ve built, then we’re going to prove him wrong. Has he brought anyone with him?”

“Probably. He doesn’t travel solo,” this time is Cara the one answering. “But we haven’t seen any of his minions. That’s a big disadvantage.”

“He doesn’t know we’ve got our memories back, so that’d be our advantage. If we play our cards rights, he won’t stand a chance.”

Andrea shoots him a skeptic look.

“That’s what I call optimism.”

“You’re the one who said that you two were unstoppable, Sabrina. I’m just trusting you.”

“Don’t call me that,” she retorts. “Do you have a plan?”

“Of course I do, Sabrina. Of course I do.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If things work out today, I guess we could… I don’t know,” Stiles says. “How about an all-night gaming session? Ever since Gael is with us gory videogames are forbidden.”
> 
> “At my place, then?” Scott suggests. “It’ll be awesome.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> First of all, I am really sorry for the delay. I've been struggling with my health and I couldn't write. I'm still dealing with some of those problems, so I don't know when I'll be able to finish the story, but I definitely will, don't worry.  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you for your lovely comments and patience. I love you all <3

Summer and Beacon Hills are a terrible combination. High temperatures keep you at home for most of the day, and the vast majority of businesses close, including the best dinner and the only respectable comic store. When he was a little kid and his mother was still alive, Stiles used to leave the town for a couple of weeks. On the one hand, it was an exciting adventure that usually took them to some nearby city. But on the other one, the kid did not enjoy being without his best and only friend. During his teenage years, Scott’s summer school and supernatural shenanigans had kept him busy, which had almost made him forget how dull the place was. College and adulthood had brought with them new responsibilities and a kid that demanded all of his attention, so when Stiles finds himself back in Scott’s old bedroom, not a trace of their pack with them, a weird sensation of awkwardness invades him.

“This feels so wrong…” Scott mutters, expressing what his friend has been thinking all along.

“Yeah,” Stiles agrees. “I… I can’t remember the last time I was here.”

“The summer before our senior year at college,” the werewolf says with complete certainty. “We… well, you told me about your engagement, and…”

“You freaked out and that was it,” Stiles interrupts. “You’re right.”

Scott, standing next to the window, lets out a sigh.

“It was nice being your friend once again.”

“It lasted less than two days. There’s no hope for us, dude.”

Deep down, Stiles would like to say that it was good. That having his best friend back had comforted him. But many years of disagreements and disappointments have taught him better.

“I’m willing to give it a try,” Scott insists, turning to meet his friend. “I’ve been an asshole for too long. You were right, Stiles. I chose Allison over you. I never payed attention to your problems. I haven’t respected your decisions. I… have been a bad friend and a bad beta. Derek… he’s a difficult man. But he’s been taking care of you for years, and… he’s not a terrible Alpha. I’m done being so stubborn.”

Stiles can’t fight a smile.

“You’ve said those things so many times before…”

“But I mean them now, Stiles. I want my future kids to know you, and I want to be someone important in Gael’s life,” Stiles leaves the chair he has been seated on and starts pacing the room. “Come on, man. We were great together. Remember that time you woke me up at two in the morning and told me it was seven o’clock and that I was going to be late? You made me breakfast and sent me to school!”

“I can’t believe you ate pop tarts and got dressed without checking your phone.”

“Well, I trusted you!”

“Dude, I was in my pajamas. I didn’t go to school with you. I was laughing all the freaking time. It was obvious!”

“I was tired, okay?!”

Both buys laugh at the same time. Once they stop, the silence becomes thicker, more unbearable.

“If things work out today, I guess we could… I don’t know,” Stiles says. “How about an all-night gaming session? Ever since Gael is with us gory videogames are forbidden.”

“At my place, then?” Scott suggests. “It’ll be awesome.”

“Yeah, wait until I kick your ass,” absent-mindedly, Stiles checks his phone. A blank screen free of notifications greets him.

“They’ll be fine. Raoul doesn’t expect Derek to have backup.”

“Once he figures it out, we’ll be doomed.”

“When did you become the pessimistic one?”

“I’m realistic, Scotty. I’m not ready to be a widower. Although… I’m in the prime of my life. With this skin I could get a new man in a couple of months.”

Scott arches an eyebrow.

“Are you seriously considering…?”

“For God’s sake, Scott, of course not. I’m just babbling because I’m losing my shit right now!”

“Okay, okay, calm down. We only have to wait twelve more minutes…”

“Fuck that.”

“Hey! It is your plan.” Scott reminds him, gently.

“Yeah, and it’ll be my responsibility if it doesn’t work out,” Stiles whispers.

 

* * *

 

Derek Hale does not like Stiles Stilinski’s plans. That is a well-known fact. No matter that they usually kind of work out in the end, because somehow, at some point, they always put someone’s life at risk. Most of the times, Stiles’. The bad thing is that the boy is the only one in the pack who can come up with ideas now that Lydia is miles away.

“I must admit I’m surprised, Hale,” Raoul says, a sly smile turning the corners of his thin lips upwards. “You were quite unequivocal when we last met. I expected some… resistance.”

“That explains the chains,” Derek shakes the handcuffs that keep him trapped in the corner of the empty warehouse. The metal feels cold against the naked skin of his wrists.

“I’m a cautious man. That’s how I’ve survived for so long,” Raoul replies with pride. “But… Tell me. Why have you changed your mind?”

Derek does not look him in the eye when he speaks:

“Isn’t it obvious? You’ve taken everything from me.”

“Have I? I’ve been watching you for a while, Hale. You’re a stubborn werewolf. Even though your pack hates you, you’ve been trying to keep them together. Why would you give up suddenly? I haven’t seen you having a big argument.”

“I’m done with them. If they don’t want me, I won’t beg.”

Raoul watches him in silence, challenging the Alpha to meet his gaze. Derek does not give in, though.

“Is that so? You’re not interested in trying to undo the spell, then. The idea of being happily married and with a healthy pack is not appealing enough.”

“Are you trying to convince me to take a different decision?”

Raoul answers with a laugh.

“It’s too late for that. I’m curious, Hale.”

Derek takes a deep breath as he cautiously thinks his next words.

“I’m not interested in being married to that kid. I don’t care what happened in the past decade.”

“That kid?” Raoul repeats, squatting down in front of his hostage. “Stilinski, you mean? I must admit he’s quite an interesting creature.”

“An annoying one.”

Derek stops himself before adding all the other things he thinks about Stiles. Whatever his feelings, he must keep his heartbeat steady. That should be his only concern.

“And just because you married him, you’re not willing to discover what happened? To take your place as the Alpha and fight? I erased your memories, Hale. That must infuriate you.”

“It did, but as I’ve told you, I’m done. I’ve lost everything too many times to care anymore.”

“I’ll be honest,” Raoul stands up and walks towards the door, giving Derek an opportunity to observe him. The man is tall and lean. His dark hair looks greasy, shining under the pale light of the only bulb that lights up the place. “I don’t know what to do with you. I’ve always admired your fighting skills and your merciless character, but I had renounced to your loyalty. I thought you were too far gone.”

“I’m not.”

Derek does not like begging, almost as much as he dislikes Stiles’ plans. But he needs to have the handcuffs removed in the next ten minutes if he wants that stupid plan to go as planned.

“Are you ready to be my beta?”

This time, Derek looks him in the eye when Raoul turns around and asks the question he has been waiting for all along.

“Yes.”

“Then you’ll have no problem proving how loyal you’re to your Alpha, right?” Derek nods, already expecting the worst. “I want you to annihilate your old pack.”

“Consider it done.”

  

* * *

 

 

“I don’t know why you listen to me,” Stiles is saying when the text arrives.

The boy immediately runs to the bed where he has left the phone, stumbling on his way and falling flat on his face. The carpet barely makes the fall less painful.

“Dude, you okay?” Scott asks without looking at him, as he has already taken the mobile and is reading the message. “It’s from Derek, to the pack. He wants us to meet him at your place in twenty.”

“What? That wasn’t the plan.”

“I know,” Scott offers him the phone and Stiles takes it, still lying on the floor. “We should get going, though.”

Stiles frowns, skeptical.

“This is weird. He was supposed to tells us about Raoul’s whereabouts and minions once he had infiltrated his pack. And he sent that message three minutes later!”

“You only gave him an hour to convince Raoul before deploying the special forces aka Boyd and Erica. It surprises me that he only needed three more minutes,” Scott says. “I hope they’ve read the message.”

“Call them. I’ll get your old lacrosse equipment. I’m gonna need that stick.”

Stiles opens the closet next to the bathroom door and starts tossing around Scott’s teenage belongings. When he finds the stick, he turns to his friend with a satisfied smile.

“Boyd says the warehouse is empty. No trace of Derek, not even his scent,” Scott informs him, his eyes fixed on the screen of his phone. “That really is suspicious.”

“If that bastard has done anything to Derek, I’ll…”

“He’ll be fine, Stiles. Come on.”

“But…”

Scott places his hands on Stiles’ shoulders and forces the boy to look at him. Only when he is sure that Stiles is focusing on him, does Scott speak.

“Whatever’s happened, we’ll fix it together. Okay? All of us. You’re not alone, and we’ll fight for Derek.”

Stiles takes a deep breath, trying to prevent a panic attack.

“Alright,” he whispers a second later. “You’re right, we should… we should meet him and… and see what’s going on.”

“Then let’s do it. I’ll drive.”

“There is no way I’m letting you drive my jeep, dude, not even in a crisis.”

Scott smiles at his friend, happy with the slight improvement.

“Damn it.”

“Don’t worry. Someday, you’ll be ready to drive my baby. Someday.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Calm down,” Scott says, probably hearing his heartbeat. “A panic attack won’t help.”
> 
> Stiles shakes his head.
> 
> “I’m not panicking.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Again: sorry for the delay! And thank you for your words. I'm feeling better now, and hopefully I'll post the end of this story within the next days.  
> Thank you for your patience <3

The house is empty when they arrive. For a moment, Stiles stares at the vacant living-room, his heart racing, his mind somewhere else, somewhere far away. He sees the place and recognizes the couches, the television, Gael’s toys lying on the floor, but they all seem to belong to a different universe, one in which he was happy and different, and those nights running away from monsters were gone. Now he is that teenager once again. Scott is by his side, Derek is gone, and Stiles… Stiles is lost.

“Calm down,” Scott says, probably hearing his heartbeat. “A panic attack won’t help.”

Stiles shakes his head.

“I’m not panicking.”

And it is true. He is not. Terror has drained all energy from his body. He has no strength left to panic.

“Stiles?”

Isaac is out of breath when he enters the house. Stiles sees his own despair reflected on his blue eyes, and somehow that is all the comfort he needs right now.

“He’s not here. Can you smell…?”

“No. Boyd and Erica are at the warehouse, just in case they return.”

“Are we even sure they were there?” Scott asks.

“They found some handcuffs that weren’t there before,” Isaac keeps looking at Stiles while he speaks. “But there was no blood, so Derek must be fine.”

“We don’t know that. Anyone could have sent that text,” Stiles replies, coldly. “So, what now?” When no one answers him, Stiles understands what is happening. The Alpha is gone, which means that the betas lack a leader. And in Derek’s absence, they have chosen one, one that would receive their Alpha’s approval. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. No. I can’t do this. I can’t make decisions right now.”

Tears fill his eyes as he speaks, though Stiles does not notice them.

“Stiles, it’s okay. You don’t have to do this alone,” Isaac takes a step towards him, which forces Stiles to focus on the young werewolf. “We’ll wait here. If Derek doesn’t show up, then we’ll call Andrea and plan our next move.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

It all happens in the matter of seconds, but for Stiles it feels like an eternity. Isaac pushes him aside, and as he falls, his body about to hit the coffee table, the boy sees Raoul for the first time. There is no trace of humanity in his eyes. Instead, pure wrath dominates him. Stiles hits the floor the moment Isaac receives Raoul’s attack. The pain muffles the sounds of the battle, yet Stiles can perfectly hear the bellows, the fast movements of the werewolves. Something is broken to his left, and a hand grabs his ankle and starts dragging him. Stiles tries to break free to no avail.

“NO, NO, NO, I’M NOT A WEREWOLF TREAT! LET ME GO, YOU MORON!”

“STILES, SHUT UP.”

Derek pushes him against the wall, rudely.

“Der? Oh, my God, it’s you. You’re alive,” Stiles’ relief is met by Derek’s concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Stay behind, okay? Don’t… don’t be reckless, Stiles. Do it for me.”

Stiles has no time to promise anything, because before he can open his mouth, a voice is interrupting them.

“Don’t hesitate, Hale,” Raoul has taken Scott by the throat, but still looks at the couple when he speaks.

Derek closes his eyes and bows his head in a way in which Stiles’ lips end up caressing his black hair.

“What is he talking about?” Stiles asks. “Der?”

The Alpha turns on his heels and walks away.

“You never believed I’d do it.”

Raoul smiles at him.

“Of course, I didn’t. But I needed to find your entire pack, and you made it quite easy. Now, tell me. Where are the others?”

Isaac, squatting down next to Derek, growls as his eyes follow Scott’s movements in the air. Despite all his efforts, Raoul is not letting him go.

“You can’t defeat us. You’re all alone.”

“Am I? You really think I’d come here without a backup plan? My werewolves are out there, chasing your missing betas. It’s up to you to make their task easier and actually join us.”

“Let Scott go!” Stiles interrupts.

Derek raises a hand to ask for silence.

“If you kill any of my betas, I will show you no mercy.”

Raoul does not pay attention to the threat.

“They obey you,” he comments. “Why? They don’t remember anything, they shouldn’t trust you!”

“Ha! Take that!” Stiles exclaims.

“Stiles,” Derek reprimands him, his voice sounding a bit exasperated.

“The witches,” Raoul whispers. “They’ll pay for this, but first…”

For once in his life, Stiles does not know what to do, so he does nothing. He stays there, in a corner of his living room, staring. Watching Scott’s neck being eviscerated by Raoul. Hearing Isaac and Derek growling before attacking. Feeling how his own life is shattered because of a stupid decision he took ten years ago. Because he dragged his best friends into the woods. Because maybe Raoul has used his own claws to open Scott’s throat, but Stiles is the one who has killed him.

And that absolute certainty may be his downfall.

 

* * *

  

In the end, all that is left is silence. Derek takes down Raoul in a matter of seconds, and despite his threats, none of his minions comes to his help. When Erica and Boyd arrive a couple of minutes later, they have not moved. Isaac is still on the floor, his eyes fixed on Scott. Derek is standing next to Raoul’s body, blood covering his jeans and t-shirt. As for Stiles, he has not left the corner. In fact, he has barely done anything since Derek pushed him against it. When his friends finally react, Stiles does not. What is he supposed to do now? Live when his friend is dead? Breathe when Scott cannot?

“Do something!” Erica screams, kneeling before Scott.

“Erica…”

“YOU DO SOMETHING! YOU’RE OUR ALPHA!”

“The witches. They could help,” Isaac murmurs. “Or Deaton.”

Erica takes off her jacket and covers the beta’s neck with it, trying to stop a bleeding that has already drained the body of the boy.

“I’ll call them,” Boyd decides.

Derek does not say a word. He is shaking, terrified by what has just happened. The bodies lying on the floor of what he had believed to be his safe place are a reminder of a life he has been running from for years. Once upon a time, the Hale house was a place of tragedy and misery. Time and effort had turned this graveyard into a home. And now a miscalculation has destroyed everything.

“Derek,” Isaac calls him. The man remains unresponsive. “Derek,” Isaac places a hand on his shoulder. “I think Stiles needs you.”

His claws disappear as soon as Stiles’ name is mentioned. Every self-centered thought he was having is gone when he faces Stiles, a Stiles who looks younger than ever, vulnerable. The lack of tears is a surprise that does not last, as Derek soon understand that Stiles is in shock. He may be looking him in the eye, but he is not seeing anyone.

“Stiles, talk to me,” Derek stands between the boy and the bodies, trying to keep his husband from staring. “Stiles, please,” the Alpha takes another step, reducing the distance between their chests to the minimum. “Mieczysław, focus on me.”

The change is barely noticeable, but Derek has been living with Stiles long enough to perceive even the smallest details. He takes Stiles’ right hand in his.

“I’ll take care of this, ok? You don’t… You don’t have to worry about this.”

Stiles frowns, confused.

“No,” he says in a whisper. “No, no. I… I have to be with him, Der. I can’t… I won’t leave him. It’s Scotty, Der. He… He broke my Batman.”

Derek captures the first tear that runs down his cheek with his thumb.

“He did,” he replies with a sad smile. “Will you sit down for a second? I need a moment.”

Stiles nods and allows Derek to take him to the couch where he sits, his back to the bloody scenario. For the next ten minutes all Stiles hears is his friends’ hurried steps and Derek’s whispered orders.

“Okay, you can stay with him now,” Derek finally announces.

Stiles stands up and slowly walks towards his friend, who is now lying on the floor free of blood and with a towel carefully covering his neck. If it were not because his chest does not move, Stiles would try to wake him up. Instead, he kneels before him.

“I’m sorry, Scotty,” he murmurs.

“Stiles? Derek? I got your message! Is everything okay?”

Allison enters the room looking for the couple but finds instead an image she is not ready for. Stiles does not look at her, because he simply cannot. Deep down, he is still mad at her. Mad for taking his best friend away. For being the cause of most of their arguments. It may not be fair, but that is the thing about life. It is unjust. Always. If it were not, Scott would not be dead.

“No, no, no, no… He’s not… He cannot… What have you done? YOU HAD TO PROTECT HIM!”

“DON’T BLAME DEREK!” Stiles explodes into rage. “HE’S BEING TRYING TO PROTECT US FOR YEARS AND ALL WE’VE DONE IS MAKING IT MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR HIM! ESPECIALLY YOU!”

“Stiles, don’t…” Derek tries to step in.

“She knows I’m right,” Stiles interrupts him, ignoring Allison’s tears.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t save him, Allison,” Derek says. “Raoul…”

“I don’t wanna know. Stay away from him.”

Stiles lets out a bitter laugh.

“Ok, stop this shit,” Erica shouts. “Scott loved you both! He wouldn’t want you to argue over his dead body, for God’s sake!”

Stiles does not open his mouth again. He lets Allison approach Scott, and there they sit in silence, holding an improvised vigil. At some point Boyd leaves, so does Erica. Only Isaac and Derek stay, both of them keeping their distance, watching the humans mourn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY!!!!!! I REALLY AM!  
> Fun fact: Scott is one of my favorite characters... But this was something that had to happen (character development incoming...).  
> Please, don't hate me too much.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Our kid is a little Van Gogh, Der,” Stiles comments.
> 
> “A van go? Where does the van go, papa?”
> 
> “Van Gogh was a great artist, buddy, just like you,” Stiles explains. “You know what? We should hang it on the fridge.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's finally done!  
> I am sorry it took me so long. Hope you like the final chapter. Thanks a lot for your patience and for reading, it had meant the world to me sharing this story with you, guays.  
> I love you all <33

A lazy Sunday morning finds Derek teaching Gael how to play basketball. Stiles watches the scene from the porch. The warm light of the sun makes him feel sleepy, disconnected from reality. It may partly be because of the pills Melissa has been giving him, but also because for the first time in weeks his thoughts are not about blood, werewolves, and Scott. Of course, he thinks about Scott, though not in a traumatic way. Stiles is now remembering all the things they promised they would do after high school and never did: a road trip, getting stupid matching tattoos, joining a frat together, embarrassing their kids and then forcing them to marry each other. Some they did not have time to do, others… well, stupid fights happened.

“Papa! Come play with us!” Gael calls him.

Derek, dressed in grey sweatpants and a white henley, offers him a sweet, unsure smile.

“Why don’t we take a break and join papa? You haven’t showed him your drawing.”

“That’s true!”

Gael runs to the living room, where Stiles remembers having seen his pencils and papers. Meanwhile, Derek seats by his side, still carefully and keeping some distance. Stiles does not say a word. He has been considering this, their relationship, for days. In the beginning he had been too lost in his grief to notice Derek’s behavior. Now that is the only thing he can focus on.

“Do you still love me?” he suddenly asks, taking Derek by surprise.

“What are you talking about?”

Stiles avoids his eyes before explaining himself.

“You have been sleeping in the guest bedroom ever since… you know.”

“I… I was giving you some space and time to…”

“Look, papa!”

Gael interrupts their conversation by dropping a crumpled piece of paper in Stiles’s lap.

“Let’s see what we’ve got here…” Stiles forces himself to smile.

The wolf Gael drew when he first lost his memories and went to Scott’s takes most of the paper. To his left, he recognizes a doodle that looks slightly like him. Erica, Isaac, Boyd and Lydia are there too, a bit more deformed. And then, near the left corner, Stiles sees Scott. Gael has exaggerated his crooked jaw so much that Stiles cannot help laughing.

“Our kid is a little Van Gogh, Der,” Stiles comments.

“A van go? Where does the van go, papa?”

“Van Gogh was a great artist, buddy, just like you,” Stiles explains. “You know what? We should hang it on the fridge.”

“Really?!” Gael is incapable of hiding his excitement. “And drink lemonade?”

“Why would we drink lemonade?” Derek asks him, amused.

“Because if we’re going to the kitchen, we should drink lemonade.”

“It only makes sense, Derek. Listen to your son.”

“Ok, you win,” Derek stands up and offers his hand to Stiles. The boy accepts it without hesitation. “You have convinced me.”

“Lemonade! Lemonade! Lemonade!”

Gael disappears once again as he runs to the kitchen. Stiles and Derek follow him, hand in hand.

“I will never stop loving you,” Derek whispers, quietly. “Gael and you… you’re everything to me. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect you, and yet… I’ve failed you.”

“What the hell?” the words scape his lips the moment they enter the kitchen.

Gael gasps, his little hands already trying to open the fridge door.

“Papa! Bad word!”

“Sorry, sorry, kiddo. Your dad just said something really, really dumb. Let me get you the lemonade and hang your drawing.”

As Derek sits Gael in one of the stools, Stiles takes the jug after placing the drawing where it belongs and joins them. For the next ten minutes, the kid will be busy playing with his straw and making bubbles and weird noises.

“Can you explain yourself?” Stiles arches his eyebrows. “Please.”

Derek sighs, looking abashed.

“I am your Alpha. More importantly, I was Scott’s Alpha, Stiles. I should have kept him alive. He was my responsibility, and Raoul… I was right there.”

Stiles rolls his eyes to keep himself from crying.

“Didn’t you listen to what I said to Allison when she tried to blame you? It was Raoul’s fault, Der. I was there too and… We couldn’t stop it, okay? So, please, I beg you, don’t drift away from me just because you feel guilty. I need you more than ever.”

Derek leaves his glass on the countertop and dodges Gael to hug Stiles. The touch takes away Stiles’s breath. The warmth of the werewolf’s body is like coming home and Stiles simply lets it embrace him.

“I want hugs, too,” Gael protests, the straw still in his mouth.

“You want lemonade, you want hugs… Anything else, your majesty?” Stiles jokes, taking a step back to smile at his son.

Gael offers his father a wide grin.

“A puppy,” the kid demands.

“We already have one!” Stiles says, patting Derek on the back and ignoring his growl.

Gael, a big fan of Stiles’s dog jokes, giggles.

“I was thinking about the possibility of inviting the pack for a movie night, but if you’d rather make fun of me…”

At the same time, Gael and Stiles shut their mouths. Derek watches for a while the two pair of big brown eyes imploring mercy. It is difficult not to laugh.

“Pretty please, daddy!” Gael finally begs. “We could watch Tangled!”

“Again?” Derek lets out a dramatic sigh, clearly amused with the situation.

Stiles gives Gael a look.

“Okay… You can pick the movie! But I recommend Tangled!” Gael backs down.

“I’ll consider your proposition, thank you very much.”

“We should make sure Allison comes,” Stiles adds. “Even without Scott… she’s pack. She’ll always be one of us.”

Derek nods.

“Where’s Scott?” Gael asks, innocently.

“I’ll explain it to you someday.”

 

* * *

 

In the end, they watch Tangled, of course. Gael sits next to Erica and explains every part of the movie to the girl, but falls asleep right before the end. Once Derek takes him to his bedroom, Isaac insists on watching some documentary about donkeys on Netflix. Stiles keeps protesting until he sees Allison smile when a baby donkey stumbles. From that moment on, he simply throws popcorn around. When he finally hits Isaac and Derek refuses to high-five him for it, Stiles stands up and goes to the kitchen to clean up the mess of feeding a pack of hungry werewolves.

“Can I help?”

Stiles closes the refrigerator door and turns to Allison.

“Don’t worry, you’re our guest. Derek would be frowning at me for a week if I’d let you do the dishes.”

“Thanks for inviting me. I didn’t think you…”

“You’re part of our family, Allison,” Stiles interrupts her. “I’ve been thinking a lot about… about everything. And it is a shame that we…Woah, I really don’t know how to say this,” he laughs, nervously. “What I want to say is that we never had a chance, you know? We both loved Scott, but he couldn’t find a way to make this work. I blamed you for a long time, but I’ve realized that it was Scott’s fault. He was the one who ditched me for you. I bet you never asked him to do something like that.”

Allison shakes her head, a sad smile painted on her face.

“When we were in high school, I didn’t really notice what he was doing to you. Once in college… I told him to get closer to you, to accept Derek, but… God, he was so stubborn…”

“Yeah, he was,” Stiles agrees, smiling. “But he was a good man. Too good for this shitty world.”

They do not say a word for the next five minutes, the sound of the documentary invading the quiet kitchen.

“So… What do you think about turning these movie nights into a tradition?” he ends up suggesting.

“I’d love that.”

 

* * *

 

 

Two hours later, Stiles is waiting for Derek to come to their bedroom and finally get some sleep. He is dozing when the bathroom door is finally opened, and Derek turns off the lights. Stiles gravitates towards the Alpha the moment he lies down by his side. He has missed him too much.

“Stiles?” Derek whispers.

“Der?” Stiles answers, his eyes closed.

“Allison is pregnant.”

That information is enough to wake him up.

“What? Did she tell you?!”

“No, I don’t think she knows yet,” Derek admits. “It… it must be something really recent, because the scent is weak. I don’t think the betas noticed it.”

“Oh, my fucking God, Derek. What are we going to do?”

In the dark of the room, Derek shrugs, still holding Stiles between his arms.

“Be there for her.”

“Duh, that’s obvious. I mean…”

“It’s not something bad,” Derek says. “In fact, I think it is the best thing that could happen to Allison right now. That kid… that kid is Scott’s legacy. He may be gone, but at least part of him will be with us. With her.”

Stiles’s eyes sparkle with unshed tears.

“I know what you mean. Will the baby… will the baby be a werewolf, too?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“I’m gonna take care of that baby as if they were mine,” Stiles decides.

“We all will.”


End file.
